title: Pediatric Osteoporosis: Diagnosis and Treatment Considerations.
abstract: Osteoporosis is now increasingly recognized in children due to the increased prevalence of disorders associated with bone loss. Fragility fractures represent the cardinal clinical features of pediatric osteoporosis and children presenting with fragility fractures deserve an accurate assessment to rule out a secondary cause. Indeed, in the pediatric population, a low bone mass is often a consequence of a chronic disease or its treatment; genetic bone disorders represent the cause of only a small fraction of cases. The position statement of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry guides physicians in interpreting densitometric data and making diagnoses of osteoporosis in children. Once a diagnosis of osteoporosis has been made, the aim is to identify children in whom bone status may deteriorate if left untreated. To date, bisphosphonates have represented the mainstay of treatment for pediatric osteoporosis. However, due to the peculiar pathophysiology of osteoporosis in this age group, a pharmacological agent with an anabolic effect on bone may provide clinicians with other therapeutic options in children. Multicenter studies are needed to optimize treatments and define optimal clinical response in treated children.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Reumatologia Pediatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria "Anna Meyer", viale Gaetano Pieraccini 24, Firenze, 50139, Toscana, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marrani
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Reumatologia Pediatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria "Anna Meyer", viale Gaetano Pieraccini 24, Firenze, 50139, Toscana, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giani
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Reumatologia Pediatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria "Anna Meyer", viale Gaetano Pieraccini 24, Firenze, 50139, Toscana, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simonini
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Reumatologia Pediatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria "Anna Meyer", viale Gaetano Pieraccini 24, Firenze, 50139, Toscana, Italy. rolando.cimaz@meyer.it.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cimaz
mesh_terms: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents