QFracture score predicts risk in primary care

The risk of fracture can be accurately predicted in primary care using the QFracture algorithms for hip or any osteoporotic fracture, a validation study has shown (BMJ 2009;339:b4229).

Analysis of 24 350 incident fractures (vertebral, distal radius or hip) in almost 16 million person-years of observation among men and women aged 30–85 years in UK primary care, identified many factors that significantly predicted risk. Incorporating these into the QFracture algorithms showed that the predicted risk closely matched the observed risk and the QFracture score for hip fracture was as reliable as the FRAX algorithm.

The new algorithms are available at www.qfracture.org.