Decreased Bone Material Strength in Severe Osteogenesis Imperfecta (oi)

Bone fragility in OI is believed to result from a combination of bone mass deficiencies and compromised material properties of the bone tissue. Little data, however, is available to describe bone material properties in individuals with OI. At the sub-microstructural scale, nanoindentation studies have found that the elastic modulus (E) of bone tissue is lower in children with severe OI (type III) than in normal controls [1], and that this property is slightly higher in mild vs. severe OI [2]. Bone material properties at the mesoscale, including strength and toughness, however, have not yet been characterized in individuals with OI.