Use of bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Congenital and acquired forms of osteoporosis in childhood and adolescence can result in morbidity from fracture and pain in childhood, and place an individual at significant risk for problems in adult life. A range of therapies exist for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, including optimization of daily calcium intake, adequate vitamin D status, weight-bearing exercise, treatment with sex steroids where delayed puberty is a problem and, more recently, use of bisphosphonate therapy. Intravenous pamidronate therapy (a bisphosphonate) has been shown to reduce fractures and improve bone density in children with osteogenesis imperfecta, and might prove to be of benefit in other osteop..