P41 Searching high and low for a cause of transient migratory bone oedema: fibroblast growth factor-23 secreting mesenchymal tumour
Authors: Fisher Kerry , Melath Sunil , Patel Sanjeev 
Published: April 2020

Background

Fibroblast Ggrowth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a phosphate regulator primarily expressed by osteocytes. Excess FGF-23 leads to decreased hydroxylation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and poor renal phosphate reabsorption. This leads to hypophosphataemia and represents a rare cause of osteomalacia, resulting in bone oedema and stress fractures.

Methods

A 57-year-old man with known skin psoriasis presented with a two-year history of left foot and ankle pain. On examination, he had chronic dactylitis of the left, big toe associated with skin psoriasis and nail pitting. Serum inflammatory markers were normal, and autoimmune screens for RF, anti-CCP and HLA-B27 were negative. Bilateral foot and ankle X-rays showed no bony abnormality. This was diagnosed as likely psoriatic arthritis and MRI showed talar bone oedema, felt to be related to the inflammatory arthritis. Symptoms settled well on non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. However, he presented two months later with focal distal tibial pain and swelling. There was no history of trauma. Repeat MRI showed proximal migration of bone oedema with stress fractures of the left posterior talus and distal tibial metaphysis.

Results

Blood tests showed low phosphate, elevated PTH, normal adjusted calcium, raised ALP and low 25-hydroxyvitamin D. DEXA scan confirmed osteoporosis of the hip. The patient was commenced on intravenous three-monthly pamidronate and colecalciferol (vitamin D3) supplements. Despite this, the patient continued to have migratory joint pain affecting the ankle, hip and sacroiliac joints. Methotrexate was prescribed to improve his psoriasis, but whilst his skin improved his legs remained painful. A repeat MRI showed new insufficiency fractures to the left talus and right neck of femur. Although taking colecalciferol supplementation, his serum phosphate remained low (0.5mmol/L). On further investigation, Myeloma screen and FDG PET were normal but he was noted to have an increased fractional urinary phosphate excretion indicating poor renal phosphate reabsorption. Serum FGF-23 assay was elevated at 131 mIU/L (normal &lt;100mIU/L). The patient underwent 68-Gallium DOTATATE PET imaging, utilising a tracer specific for somatostatin receptors found on neuroendocrine tumours, which showed a T9 pedicle lesion. CT-guided biopsy confirmed a mesenchymal tumour as the cause of FGF-23 secretion, resulting in transient bone marrow oedema and insufficiency fractures. The patient has become asymptomatic on calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) and phosphate supplementation, and is being considered for radiofrequency ablation therapy.

Conclusion

This case illustrates the need for thorough investigation of symptomatic, treatment-refractory hypophosphataemia. Although mild hypophosphatemia could indicate adult onset rickets, rarer causes such as FGF-23 secreting tumours should be considered. These tumours are notoriously difficult to locate; 68-Gallium DOTATATE PET may offer superior specificity to other imaging modalities, including FDG-PET, in detecting these mesenchymal tumours. FGF-23 decreases hydroxylation of vitamin D3 and renal phosphate reabsorption, and calcitriol alongside phosphate supplementation is advisable for symptomatic management until definitive treatment.

Disclosures

K. Fisher None. S. Melath None. S. Patel None.