Dexa or QFracture?

[loobilou]

Im sure most of you are familiar with the above online fracture calculation tests, especially Dexa. The results are wildly different for me, and I wondered if that was the same for you and which would you go by, or would you not take much notice of the fracture risks that they show? Thank you

[Met00]

QFracture is claimed to be more accurate than FRAX. If you google Frax, Garvan seen as best for predicting fracture risk, you'll find a link to the start of a medscape article which makes this claim. Here's the link but if you follow it you may just get a medscape home page: medscape.com/viewarticle/85...

[loobilou in reply to Met00]

Thanks Met00 that's the link I found on another post here (maybe yours?). I'd never heard of Qfracture before and as the results are so much better than those on FRAX it's great if they are more accurate! But without giving any t scores or bmd figures it's hard to believe!

[Met00 in reply to loobilou]

I know, I've been wondering the same. But as I'm not taking medication at the moment, it's reassuring that my fracture risk may be lower than Frax predicts! As you say, the Frax result includes your t-score, but that only measures bone density, not always the same as bone strength. The problem is that we can't be sure of our risk of fracture until we've had a fragility fracture, by which time the damage is done!

[loobilou in reply to Met00]

Yes. And I fell recently and fractured my elbow but it wasn't too bad and didn't need surgery, and I also fell (harder I think) last month (I seem to find it easy to trip on uneven pavements😳) and didn't break anything, so perhaps my bones are stronger now and the qfracture is correct! But it was a proper wrist break a year ago that led me to a dexa scan and osteoporosis...

I am taking the horrible medication but it's great that you're not.

It's a shame that bone strength can't be measured!

[HeronNS]

I just went and used the QFracture calculator and I think it is worse for me, probably because I'm too thin. 13% for any fracture and 6.7% for hip fracture over ten years. The risk factor when my t-score was worse a couple of years ago was 10% according to the FRAX, although I don't think it said what bones might break.

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

Aaaaah and Garvan gives even higher risks. 26% for any fracture within 10 years.

[loobilou in reply to HeronNS]

Qfactor gave me 12.1% hip, wrist shoulder or spine and 5.8% for hip.

Garvan gave me 6% hip, any other 20% (or 13% and 40% if you count a recent fracture that wasnt displaced and didnt surgery. I'm ignoring that one!)

Frax gave me 7.4% hip, 22% major

Hard to figure out which is worse really and how to figure out which is a real concern

[Met00 in reply to HeronNS]

I think Qfracture takes more account of age than Frax. I'm expecting my risk to be higher in 10 years time, even if nothing else changes. Also hoping they'll come up with better meds by then!

[loobilou in reply to HeronNS]

I think your score is pretty good, especially compared with mine

[loobilou in reply to loobilou]

I've just posted an update on a new thread with answers from the NOS