Osteomalacia

This is a softening of the bones caused by disturbances in the mineralization of the intercellular substance. Osteomalacia in children is called rickets, therefore osteomalacia is most commonly considered a disorder of adult bone mineralization. This can cause diffuse pain in the body, muscle weakness, osteopenia, and bone fragility. The most common cause of osteomalacia is a deficiency of vitamin D or disorders in its metabolism. The main causes of bone mineralization, and therefore osteomalacia, are: 1) inadequate calcium absorption in the intestine due to a lack of calcium in the diet or a deficiency of vitamin D, 2) lack of phosphates due to increased excretion of these ions through the kidneys, 3) increased calcium demand during pregnancy or healing of fractures. The biochemical signs of osteomalacia are similar to rickets. Key biochemical markers: unusually low concentrations of vitamin D and calcium in the blood serum; low calcium concentration in urine; low phosphate concentration in blood serum (except in cases of renal osteodystrophy); increased concentration of alkaline phosphatase in blood serum.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė