Long-term Follow-up of Metaphyseal Sclerotic Lines in Children Treated with Pamidronate |
Yu-Mi Choi1, Jin-Soon Suh2, Byoung-Soo Cho1,3 |
1Theall Medibio Research Institute 2Department of Pediatrics, Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea 3Graduate School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University |
Corresponding Author:
Byoung-Soo Cho ,Tel: +82-2-2187-3991, Fax: +82-2-512-9926, Email: kidney@khu.ac.kr |
Received: June 5, 2014; Accepted: September 25, 2014. |
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ABSTRACT |
Purpose: Bisphosphonates are widely used for the management steroid-induced osteoporosis (SIO) in children. With the increasing use of bisphosphonates, there have been reports of abnormal radiological findings in the growing skeleton. Therefore, their use in pediatric patients remains controversial. The present study was conducted to evaluate the long-term follow-up radiographic features, particularly metaphyseal sclerotic lines, in children who receive pamidronate therapy for nephropathy.
Methods: Twenty-four children with nephropathy treated with oral calcium and pamidronate (mean duration, 9 months; dose, 100 mg daily), were evaluated retrospectively. All patients had SIO secondary to chronic glucocorticoid therapy for treating nephropathy. Long bone radiographic imaging was performed before treatment with pamidronate, and at follow-up, several years later. Physeal growth rates were estimated by measuring the distance that the sclerotic lines moved on the radiographs during the corresponding time intervals.
Results : The mean follow-up period was 138 months. Long bone radiographs showed well-defined sclerotic lines at the metaphyseal ends, progressively moving from the physeal plate to the diaphysis, in all patients. The mean rate of movement of the sclerotic line was 6.21 mm per year. In 12 patients, the lines disappeared. The mean rate of growth in height was 7.33 cm per year.
Conclusions : Results of long-term follow-up suggest that the metaphyseal sclerotic lines associated with pamidronate treatment tend to disappear without affecting overall skeletal growth. Bisphosphonate treatment for SIO in children with nephropathy seems to be safe, although further studies in larger number of patients are needed. |
Key words:
Pamidronate | Bisphosphonate | Steroid-induced osteoporosis | Metaphyseal sclerotic line |
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