[Differential diagnosis and course of the idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis (author's transl)].

A case of a twelve year old boy with idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis is reported. The disease is characterized by onset in the prebubertal or pubertal age. The initial complaint is deep pain of the extremities, followed by a decrease in growth and multiple fractures of the spine and lower extremities. Radiologically a severe generalized osteoporosis is shown. Diagnosis depends on the results of clinical and x-ray examination, bone histology studies and the ruling out other forms of osteoporosis, those due to other disease of bones, renal diseases and metabolic or endocrine disturbances. Spontaneous remissions usually follows 2-4 years of disease. A specific treatment is not known.