WHO Develops Fracture Risk Tool

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) which provides a ten-year major osteoporotic fracture risk prediction to patients aged 40 to 90 years, said Prof. John Kanis, head of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), on the sidelines of the international osteoporosis diagnosis, prevention and treatment congress held at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran.

Stating that the calculator is a valuable tool for use in counseling patients about the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis he said, “The tool can be used by physicians in all countries,” IRNA reported.

He said it shows patients how a positive change in a risk factor or receiving proper treatment can reduce the risk of fractures.

He expressed readiness to cooperate with the Health Ministry for development of a separate model to compute fracture probabilities based on epidemiology of fractures and environmental factors in Iran.

Baqer Larijani, deputy director of the congress, said plans to build a specialized separate risk assessment model for the country will be discussed with IOF in the near future.

“Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is essential for bones, unfortunately 70% and 60% of Iranians have vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, respectively.”

Dietary surveys indicate that an average Iranian consumes 60% of the daily needed amount of calcium and only 15% of vitamin D, he said.

At present, two million people in the country are at high risk of bone fracture related to decreased bone density and every hour six hip bone fractures occur in the country.

Pointing to the aging population in the country Larijani said, “The incidence rate of bone fractures due to osteoporosis is estimated to increase 1.5-fold by 2045.”