| Objective To compare the FRAX estimated osteoporotic fracture risk in females using forearm bone mineral density and femoral neck bone density. Methods A retrospective analysis of 10 519 cases of forearm and 1 280 cases of femoral neck bone density was performed. According to the risk factors specified by FRAX, the study subjects' age, height, weight, previous fracture history, history of parent hip fractures, smoking history, drinking history, long-term use of steroid hormones, rheumatoid arthritis, other secondary osteoporosis, and bone mineral density (BMD) or T-score of the forearm and femoral neck were recorded. Each group was divided into ten-year age groups and the FRAX score was calculated using the T-score of forearm bone density and femoral neck bone density. SPSS 19.0 statistical analysis software was used to compare the measurement data between the two groups using the t-test. Non-parametric rank sum tests were used when the t-test conditions were not met. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Bone density of forearm was lower than that of the femoral neck. Forearm bone mineral density in the 40-50-year-old group was higher than that of the femoral neck, and the T-score in the 60-80-year-old group was lower than that of the femoral neck, except for the 80-year-old group (P<0.05). The detection rate of osteoporosis at forearm in the 40-year-old group was lower than that of femoral neck; the detection rate of osteoporosis at forearm in the 50-80-year-old group was higher (P<0.05). In the 40-50-year-old group, the predicted risk of major osteoporotic fracture using forearm data was lower than that of femoral neck; in the 70-year-old group, the predicted risk of major osteoporotic fracture using forearm data was higher than that of femoral neck (P<0.05). In the 40-50-year-old group, the predicted risk of hip fracture was lower using forearm data compared with using femoral neck data; in the 70-year-old group, the predicted risk of hip fracture was higher using forearm data than femoral neck data (P<0.05). Conclusion Forearm bone mineral density can be used to predict fracture risk using FRAX. However, in each age group there is certain gap between the probability estimated using forearm and femoral neck bone density, thus further detailed and accurate research is needed. |