OSTEOPOROSIS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Key words: Bisphosphonates,Densitometric techniques, Fractures, Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis may affect children and adolescents with various disorders. Diagnosis is based on an accurate history and clinical examination in addition to radiologic and densitometric evaluation. Densitometric techniques have a key role in the diagnosis and followup of patients with osteoporosis giving a quantitative analysis of bone mineral status. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) are the main densitometric techniques used in children and adolescents. Bisphosphonates are the more efficacious treatment for patients with osteoporosis but our experience remains limited to few patients and osteoporotic disorders. Therefore, bisphosphonate treatment should be performed in selected patients after informed consent by parents.