Treatment of childhood osteoporosis – current and future perspectives

Excerpt

Bisphosphonates are the mainstay of medical therapy in the fracturing child with osteoporosis. The majority of the data in children pertains to intravenous pamidronate use in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), where pamidronate has been associated with improvements in bone mineral density, cortical thickness, vertebral shape, pain, mobility and height [1]. Side-effects of pamidronate including acute phase response to the initial dose and retardation of bone healing have also become apparent. To date, there have been no reports of osteonecrosis of the jaw. The best functional outcomes occur when bisphosphonates are given as part of a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. …