What is Osteomalacia?

What is Osteomalacia?

• Osteomalacia: A condition where the bones gradually soften and bend due to poor calcification stemming from a lack or impaired metabolism of vitamin D.
• Osteomalacia: A metabolic bone disease that results from either a deficiency in vitamin D, or an abnormality in the metabolism of vitamin D, or a deficiency of calcium in the diet. The most common symptoms are bone pain and muscle weakness. When it occurs in children it is commonly referred to as rickets. (Diagnostic Surgical Pathology, 3rd ed.) --2003
  Source - Diseases Database
• Osteomalacia: abnormal softening of bones caused by deficiencies of phosphorus or calcium or vitamin D.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Osteomalacia is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Osteomalacia, or a subtype of Osteomalacia, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Name and Aliases of Osteomalacia

Main name of condition: Osteomalacia

Rickets Source - Diseases Database

Types of Osteomalacia:

Parent types of Osteomalacia: Vitamin D deficiency

Organs Affected by Osteomalacia:

bones

Who gets Osteomalacia?

Patient Profile for Osteomalacia: Adults; vitamin D deficiency in children is called rickets.

How serious is Osteomalacia?

Complications of Osteomalacia: see complications of Osteomalacia

What causes Osteomalacia?

Causes of Osteomalacia: see causes of Osteomalacia

How is it treated?

Treatments for Osteomalacia: see treatments for Osteomalacia
Research for Osteomalacia: see research for Osteomalacia

Society issues for Osteomalacia

Hospitalization statistics for Osteomalacia: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Osteomalacia:

• 0.001% (71) of hospital consultant episodes were for adult osteomalacia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 90% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 23% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 77% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 52% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 11.5 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for adult osteomalacia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 6 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for adult osteomalacia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 55 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for adult osteomalacia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 65% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 23% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 18% of hospital consultant episodes for adult osteomalacia were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.001% (607) of hospital bed days were for adult osteomalacia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)