MedGen

Osteopetrosis (OPT) is a life-threatening disease caused by subnormal osteoclast function, with an incidence of 1 in 250,000 births. The disease usually manifests in the first few months of life with macrocephaly and frontal bossing, resulting in a characteristic facial appearance. Defective bone remodeling of the skull results in choanal stenosis with concomitant respiratory problems and feeding difficulties, which are the first clinical manifestation of disease. The expanding bone encroaches on neural foramina, leading to blindness, deafness, and facial palsy. Complete visual loss invariably occurs in all untreated patients, and hearing loss is estimated to affect 78% of patients with OPT. Tooth eruption defects and severe dental caries are common. Calcium feedback hemostasis is impaired, and children with OPT are at risk of developing hypocalcemia with attendant tetanic seizures and secondary hyperparathyroidism. The most severe complication of OPT, limiting survival, is bone marrow insufficiency. The abnormal expansion of cortical and trabecular bone physically limits the availability of medullary space for hematopoietic activity, leading to life-threatening cytopenia and secondary expansion of extramedullary hematopoiesis at sites such as the liver and spleen (summary by Aker et al., 2012). Genetic Heterogeneity of Autosomal Recessive Osteopetrosis Other forms of autosomal recessive infantile malignant osteopetrosis include OPTB4 (611490), which is caused by mutation in the CLCN7 gene (602727) on chromosome 16p13, and OPTB5 (259720), which is caused by mutation in the OSTM1 gene (607649) on chromosome 6q21. A milder, osteoclast-poor form of autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (OPTB2; 259710) is caused by mutation in the TNFSF11 gene (602642) on chromosome 13q14, an intermediate form (OPTB6; 611497) is caused by mutation in the PLEKHM1 gene (611466) on chromosome 17q21, and a severe osteoclast-poor form associated with hypogammaglobulinemia (OPTB7; 612301) is caused by mutation in the TNFRSF11A gene (603499) on chromosome 18q21. Another form of autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (OPTB8; 615085) is caused by mutation in the SNX10 gene (614780) on chromosome 7p15. A form of autosomal recessive osteopetrosis associated with renal tubular acidosis (OPTB3; 259730) is caused by mutation in the CA2 gene (611492) on chromosome 8q21. OPTB9 (620366) is caused by mutation in the SLC4A2 gene (109280) on chromosome 7q36. Autosomal dominant forms of osteopetrosis are more benign (see OPTA1, 607634). [from OMIM]

Paget disease (PDB) is a metabolic bone disease characterized by focal abnormalities of increased bone turnover affecting one or more sites throughout the skeleton, primarily the axial skeleton. Bone lesions in this disorder show evidence of increased osteoclastic bone resorption and disorganized bone structure. See reviews by Ralston et al. (2008) and Ralston and Albagha (2014). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Paget disease of bone, see 167250. [from OMIM]

Craniometadiaphyseal osteosclerosis with hip dysplasia (CMDOH) is characterized by macrocephaly, cranial hyperostosis, and vertebral endplate sclerosis. Other frequent findings include hip dysplasia, heart malformations, variable developmental delay, and hematologic anomalies including anemia and pancytopenia. Bone biopsy shows evidence of increased osteoblast and reduced osteoclast function at the growth plate resorption zone, resulting in coarse trabeculae (Terhal et al., 2023). For syndromes with overlapping features, see osteopetrosis, autosomal recessive (OPTB1; 259700) and dominant (OPTA1; 607634), and osteopathia with cranial sclerosis (OSCS; 300373). [from OMIM]