Osteomalacia and Rickets – Quick revision card

Osteomalacia and rickets – defective bone mineralization. Impaired Vitamin D , Phosphorus or calcium metabolism. Osteomalacia ( soft bones ) is defective bone mineralization of the osteoid matrix in the cortical and trabecular bones leading to accumulation of osteoid tissue ( mineralized bone is reduced and osteoid component become excessive )

Rickets - Defective mineralization and widening of the epiphyseal ( or growth ) plate in children Osteomalacia and rickets can happen together in children but osteomalacia only happens .

Vitamin D deficiency ( most common cause of both rickets and osteomalacia ) Calcium malabsorption from any cause Secondary hyperparathyroidism ( high bone turnover ) Phosphate depletion from any cause Hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets syndromes Enzyme defects ( Hypophosphatasia - a rare condition ) Toxic effects of various drugs Chronic kidney and liver disease Renal tubular acidosis

Osteomalacia - symptoms can be non-specific diffuse bone pain , proximal muscle weakness and wasting , myalgia , arthralgias , waddling gait bone fragility fractures ( looser zones ) and pseudofractures deformities - long term osteomalacia falls ( increased prevalence in the elderly ) BMD is not required for diagnosis of osteomalacia & reduced BMD does not distinguish between osteoporosis and osteomalacia No single...