osteomalacia Flashcards
define osteomalacia?
normal bone density but decreased mineral content
when is it called rickets?
called rickets in children before the epiphysis fuse, and osteomalacia in adults
what are the types of causes of osteomalacia?
● Vitamin D deficiency
● Renal osteodystrophy
● Drug-induced
• Liver disease
why might one be deficient in vitamin D?
o Lack of exposure to sunlight
o Dietary deficiency
o Malabsorption
which drugs can cause osteomalacia?
o anti-convulsant s
epidemiology of osteomalacia?
● More common in FEMALES
presenting symptoms of osteomalacia?
o Bone pain (mainly in the axial skeleton) and tenderness o Fractures, esp femoral neck o Proximal myopathy – waddling gait o Weakness o Malaise
presenting symptoms of rickets?
o Hypotonia
o Growth retardation
o Skeletal deformities
o Knock-kneed, bow-legged
what are the two major signs of hypocalcaemia?
● Trousseau’s sign
● Chvostek’s sign
what is Trousseau’s sign ?
inflation of a blood pressure cuff to above the systolic pressure for > 3 mins causes tetanic spasm of the wrist and fingers
what is Chvosteks sign?
tapping over the facial nerve causes twitching of the ipsilateral facial muscles
what will the bloods show for osteomalacia?
o Raised ALP
o Raised PTH
o Low calcium
o Low phosphate
what might a chest xray show for osteomalacia?
o May show osteopenia
● Looser’s zones = wide, transverse lucencies traversing part way through a bone
how to treat dietary deficiency?
Vitamin D3 and calcium replacement
how to treat malabsorption ?
give vit D2 ergocalciferol
