Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (or Martin-Albright syndrome) is an autosomal dominant form of osteodystrophy, and is otherwise known as Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a. The syndrome bears the name of Fuller Albright, who was also responsible for characterizing Albright syndrome as well as a number of other bone disorders.
The disorder is characterized by a lack of renal responsiveness to parathyroid hormone, resulting in low serum calcium, high serum phosphate, and appropriately high serum parathyroid hormone. Patients with Albright hereditary osteodystrophy have short stature, characteristically shortened fourth and fifth metacarpals, and rounded faces.
Albright hereditary osteodystrophy is commonly known as Pseudohypoparathyroidism because the kidney responds as if parathyroid hormone were absent. In fact, blood levels of parathyroid hormone are elevated in Pseudohypoparathyroidism due to the continued hypocalcemia.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]