[Idiopathic osteoporosis].

Idiopathic osteoporosis is a syndrome appearing in adult men and women, and is different from idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis which appears in the growth period. It is characterised histomorphometrically by decreased values in bone volume, trabecular thickness, active osteoid surface, mineralization surface and bone formation rate. Hypercalciuria, which appears in many cases, is thought to reflect this depressed metabolic state of the bone. Diagnosis depends on the exclusion of all the primary endocrine disturbances and metabolic bone disease. The presence of subclinical metabolic abnormality should be carefully searched out.