ABSTRACT
Rickets is a syndrome caused by a defective mineralization of cartilage in the growth plate (1). Osteomalacia is caused by defective mineralization in bone, and can occur in both children and adults (Table 1) (2). Rickets can be secondary to different etiologies. Among them, nutritional, genetic, drug induced, and prematurity are the most common. John Pettifor (3) classified rickets in ‘‘calciopenic’’ (secondary to alterations of vitamin D metabolism or dietary calcium deficiency), ‘‘phosphopenic’’ (caused by dietary phosphate deficiency, impaired intestinal absorption of phosphate, increased renal phosphate loss, etc.), and ‘‘inhibition ofmineralization’’ (e.g., hereditary hypophosphatasia, aluminumand fluoride toxicity, and first-generation bisphosphonates).
