| What do doctors call this condition? | | | | areas are warm and tender, susceptible |
| Osteitis deformans | | | | to breaks, and slow to heal. The disease |
| What is this condition? | | | | progresses to add bone growth that |
| Paget's disease is a slow-paced | | | | interferes with sight, hearing, and |
| metabolic bone disease characterized by | | | | balance; complications such as |
| replacement of sound bone with excessive | | | | hypertension, gout, and congestive heart |
| amounts of abnormal bone. The altered | | | | failure may develop. |
| bone is fragile and weak, causing | | | | How is it diagnosed? |
| painful deformities of both outside | | | | X-rays, taken even before symptoms |
| shape and internal structure. Paget's | | | | appear, can show increased bone |
| disease usually settles in one or | | | | expansion and density. A bone scan, |
| several areas of the skeleton (most | | | | which is more sensitive than X-rays, |
| frequently the lower torso), but | | | | clearly shows early so-called pagetic |
| occasionally affects many parts of the | | | | lesions. Bone biopsy reveals a |
| body. | | | | characteristic mosaic pattern. Blood |
| The disease can be fatal, especially | | | | tests and other laboratory tests aid |
| when associated with congestive heart | | | | early diagnosis. |
| failure (widespread disease creates a | | | | How is it treated? |
| continuous need for high cardiac | | | | Primary treatment consists of drug |
| output), bone cancer, or giant cell | | | | therapy and includes one of the |
| tumors. | | | | following: |
| What causes it? | | | | • Cibacalcin, a hormone, given by |
| Although the exact cause is unknown, one | | | | injection, and Didronel to retard bone |
| theory is that an early viral infection | | | | resorption (which relieves bone |
| (possibly mumps) leaves behind a dormant | | | | lesions). Although Cibacalcin requires |
| skeletal infection that erupts many | | | | long-term maintenance therapy, there is |
| years later as Paget's disease. In the | | | | noticeable improvement after the first |
| United States, Paget's disease affects | | | | few weeks of treatment. Didronel |
| approximately 2.5 million people over | | | | produces improvement after 1 to 3 months |
| age 40 (mostly men). In 5% of cases, the | | | | . |
| involved bone experiences malignant | | | | • Mithracin, an antibiotic that |
| changes . | | | | produces remission of symptoms within 2 |
| What are its symptoms? | | | | weeks and biochemical improvement within |
| There may be no symptoms in early stages | | | | 1 to 2 months. However, the drug may |
| of the disease. But when pain does | | | | destroy blood cells or harm kidney |
| develop, it's usually severe and | | | | function. Self-administration of |
| persistent and may limit the person's | | | | Cibacalcin and Didronel helps people |
| movement because new bone growth is | | | | with Paget's disease lead near-normal |
| rubbing on the spinal cord or sensory | | | | lives. Still, they may need surgery to |
| nerve root. The pain intensifies with | | | | reduce or prevent fractures, correct |
| exertion. | | | | secondary deformities, and relieve |
| The list of potential effects includes | | | | pinched nerves. Aspirin, lndocin, or |
| enlarged forehead, headaches, hunchback, | | | | Advil or Motrin usually controls pain. |
| barrel- shaped chest, and bowed legs and | | | | Looking for more information about |
| other changes in gait. The affected | | | | digestive disorders and Diseases ? |