title: Paget disease of bone - an update.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paget disease of bone is the most common metabolic bone disease after osteoporosis, affecting 2-4% of adults over 55 years of age. Its aetiology is only partly understood, but includes both genetic and environmental factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article outlines the clinical features, diagnosis and management options for Paget disease of bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disease may be asymptomatic, found incidentally on radiography or biochemistry, or present with bone pain, deformity, fracture or other complications. Bisphosphonate therapy is indicated for patients with symptomatic disease and should also be considered in patients whose sites of disease suggest a risk of complications, such as long bones, vertebrae or base of the skull. The treatment of choice is a single infusion of zoledronic acid; courses of oral alendronate (3-6 months) or risedronate (2 months) are also effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. cameron.britton@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012968:Etidronic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010001:Osteitis Deformans / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068296:Risedronic Acid; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D000068296:Risedronic Acid; D012968:Etidronic Acid; D019386:Alendronate