Objectives: The World Health Organization developed the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) to assess the risk of having fragility fractures in the next 10 years. The FRAX tool is different by country, race, gender, and age.This study is a community-based study aiming to identify the optimal cut-off values of FRAX for the identification of older individuals who are at high risk of osteoporosis fractures in both genders. Methods: This cross-sectional, analytic study was conducted by using health screening data of the older adults aged 60–90 living in the 3 biggest districts of Nan province, Thailand. Validity and optimal FRAX major oste oporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture (HF) cut-off values in both genders were determined. Results: Of 36,042 older adults included in the study, 1624 older people had a history of fragility fractures. Older females were 3.2 and 2.5 times more likely to have fragility fractures and hip fractures than males, respectively.The optimal cut-off values of FRAX MOF for predicting fragility fractures were 3.0% for males and 6.3% for females. The optimal cut-off values of FRAX HF for predicting hip fractures were 1.1% for males and 3.3% for females. Conclusions A simple screening tool like the FRAX which is available in the annual health screening activities has the potential to be used to predict the risk of developing fragility fractures in rural areas of Thailand. Different cut-off values should be used in females and males because the risk of MOF and HF of both genders is signifi cantly different.

OBJECTIVES: Hip fracture is the most serious consequence of falling in elderly with osteoporosis. Patients with hip fractures suffer functional deterioration and increased morbidity especially during the first year after fracture. Rapid increase in the proportion of the elderly increases the prevalence of hip fractures in Thailand, leading to major problem for public health. There is substantial variation in the incidence of hip fracture in different regions of Thailand. Demographic data are required to improve management and prevention. This study was aimed to describe the demographic data and to determine the incidence of fragility hip fractures in Nan, Thailand. METHODS: A retrospective, cohort study had been conducted in Nan and Pua hospital. Patients with hip fractures were sorted by International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (S72.0–S72.2) from September 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017. Statistical analyses were conducted using descriptive analysis and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The incidence of hip fractures in Nan province in 2015–2017 were 211.6, 214.9 and 238.5 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. There were 876 patients in this study. Higher incidence was found in female (ratio, 2.5:1). About 87.2% of the fracture occurred inside the house. There were 5.9% who had refracture. The median for refracture time was 143 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hip fractures in Nan province was classified as moderate severity and was increasing between 2015 and 2017. A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach in homecare management especially in fall prevention are important factors to reduce incidence of fragility hip fracture.
Accidental Falls ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; International Classification of Diseases ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Thailand