© 2004 by Oxford University Press
Case Reports |
Osteopetrorickets
A1 Department of Child Health Unit II, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India A2 Department of Radiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
Rickets is a paradoxical complication of osteopetrosis resulting from the inability of the osteoclasts to maintain a normal calciumphosphorus balance in the extracellular fluid. Detection of rickets in a child with osteopetrosis is necessary, because treatment of the rickets with vitamin D leads to improvement in activity, decrease in irritability, improvement of appetite, and protects against recurrent respiratory tract infections. If bone marrow transplantation is feasible, then for better results, rickets should be completely treated prior to the transplantation.
* Correspondence: Dr Chellam Kirubakaran, Professor and Head of Department of Child Health Unit II and Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, India. E-mail
child2{at}cmcvellore.ac.in
.