Calcitonin therapy of children with osteogenesis imperfecta.

Two children, ages 13 2/12 and 6 6/12 years, with osteogenesis imperfecta were treated with salmon calcitonin. During the course of therapy the older child developed calcitonin dose-related hypomagnesemia on two occasions. The younger child, coincident with otitis media and vomiting, developed hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatemia, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia. Since rib biopsies obtained before and after one year of treatment with salmon calcitonin failed to demonstrate any histologic changes, therapy was discontinued because of the induced metabolic consequences of calcitonin therapy.