A Member of the University of Maryland Medical System | In Partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Get answers to your Osteoporosis, Metabolic Bone & Mineral Disorders questions.
Dr. Streeten’s Bio | Q&A Archive
Brittle bone disease
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a condition causing extremely fragile bones.
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a congenital disease, meaning it is present at birth. It is frequently caused by defect in the gene that produces type 1 collagen, an important building block of bone. There are many different defects that can affect this gene. The severity of OI depends on the specific gene defect.
OI is an autosomal dominant disease. That means if you have one copy of the gene, you will have the disease. Most cases of OI are inherited from a parent, although some cases are the result of new genetic mutations.
A person with OI has a 50% chance of passing on the gene and the disease to their children.
Marini JC. Osteogenesis imperfecta. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 692.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885