Race-specific FRAX models are evidence-based and support equitable care: a response to the ASBMR Task Force report on Clinical Algorithms for Fracture Risk.

Task Force on 'Clinical Algorithms for Fracture Risk' commissioned by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Professional Practice Committee has recommended that FRAX® models in the US do not include adjustment for race and ethnicity. This position paper finds that an agnostic model would unfairly discriminate against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities and recommends the retention of ethnic and race-specific FRAX models for the US, preferably with updated data on fracture and death hazards. In contrast, the use of intervention thresholds based on a fixed bone mineral density unfairly discriminates against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities in the US. This position of the Working Group on Epidemiology and Quality of Life of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is endorsed both by the IOF and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO).

Incidence of hip fracture in Romania and the development of a Romanian FRAX model.

A FRAX(®) model for Romania calibrated to the total Romanian population was released June 1, 2011. This article describes the data used to develop the Romanian FRAX model and illustrates its features compared to models for other countries. Age- and sex-stratified hip fracture incidence rates and mortality rates for 2010 were extracted from nationwide databases from the age of 40 years. For other major fractures, Romanian incidence rates were imputed, using Swedish ratios for hip to other major osteoporotic fracture (humerus, forearm, and clinically symptomatic vertebral fractures). Fracture incidence rates increased with increasing age: for hip fracture, incidence rates were higher among younger men than women but with a female preponderance from the age of 65 years. The 10-year probability of hip or major fracture was increased in patients with a clinical risk factor (CRF), lower BMI, female gender, higher age, and decreased BMD T score. Of the CRFs, a parental hip fracture accounted for the greatest increase in 10-year fracture probability. The Romanian FRAX tool is the first country-specific fracture prediction model. It is based on the original FRAX methodology, which has been externally validated in several independent cohorts. Despite some limitations, the strengths make the Romanian FRAX tool a good candidate for implementation into clinical practice.

FRAX-based intervention and assessment thresholds for osteoporosis in Romania.

UNLABELLED: We compared the utility of the current Romanian guidelines that recommend treatment in women with a T-score ≤-2.5 SD with a FRAX-based intervention threshold equivalent to women with a prior fragility fracture. Whereas the FRAX-based intervention threshold identified women at high fracture probability, the T-score threshold was less sensitive and decreased markedly with age. PURPOSE: FRAX algorithm has been calibrated for Romania, but guidance is needed on how to apply fracture probabilities to clinical practice. METHODS: The age-specific 10-year probabilities of a major osteoporotic fracture were calculated at two potential intervention thresholds. The first comprised the age-specific fracture probabilities associated with a femoral neck T-score of -2.5 SD, in line with Romanian guidelines. The second approach determined age-specific fracture probabilities that were equivalent to a woman with a prior fragility fracture, without bone mineral density (BMD). The parsimonious use of BMD was additionally explored by the computation of upper and lower assessment thresholds for BMD testing. RESULTS: When a BMD T-score ≤-2.5 SD was used as an intervention threshold, FRAX probabilities in women aged 50 years were twofold higher than in women of the same age with an average BMD. The increase in risk associated with the BMD threshold decreased progressively with age such that, at the age of 80 years or more, a T-score of -2.5 SD was protective. The 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture by age, equivalent to women with a previous fracture, rose from 5.3% at the age of 50 years to 13% at the age of 80 years and identified women at increased risk at all ages. CONCLUSION: Intervention thresholds based on BMD alone do not effectively target women at high fracture risk, particularly in the elderly. In contrast, intervention thresholds based on fracture probabilities equivalent to a "fracture threshold" targets women at high fracture risk irrespective of age.