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Paget's disease of bone (also termed osteitis deformans or, ambiguously, just Paget's disease; "Paget" is Pronounced ) is a chronic disorder that can result in enlarged and misshapen bones. Paget's is caused by the excessive breakdown and formation of bone, followed by disorganized bone remodeling. This causes affected bone to weaken, resulting in pain, misshapen bones, fractures and arthritis in the joints near the affected bones. Rarely, it can develop into a primary bone cancer known as Paget's sarcoma. Often Paget's disease is localized to only a few bones in the body. The pelvis, femur, and lower lumbar vertebrae are the most commonly affected bones. The disease is named after Sir James Paget. Paget's disease typically is localized, affecting just one or a few bones, as opposed to osteoporosis, for example, which usually affects all the bones in the body. Decisions about treating Paget's disease may be complicated as the disease often affects people very differently. In addition to this, it is sometimes difficult to predict whether a person with Paget's disease, who shows no signs or symptoms of the disorder, will develop symptoms or complications (such as a bone fracture) in the future. Although there is no cure for Paget's disease, medications (bisphosphonates and calcitonin) can help control the disorder and lessen pain and other symptoms. Medications are often successful in controlling the disorder, especially when started before complications begin. Paget's disease is rare in people less than 55 years of age.〔 Men are more commonly affected than women (3:2). The prevalence of Paget's disease ranges from 1.5 to 8.0 percent, depending on age and country of residence. Because early diagnosis and treatment is important, after age 40, siblings and children of someone with Paget's disease may wish to have an alkaline phosphatase blood test every two or three years. If the alkaline phosphatase level is above normal, other tests such as a bone-specific alkaline phosphatase test, bone scan, or X-ray can be performed. ==Signs and symptoms== Many people with Paget's disease do not know they have the disease, because they have a mild case with no symptoms. In addition, when symptoms do occur, they may be confused with those of arthritis or other disorders. In other cases, the diagnosis is made only after complications have developed. About 35 percent of patients with Paget's have symptoms related to the disease when they are first diagnosed. The first manifestation of Paget's disease is usually an elevated alkaline phosphatase in the blood.〔 Overall, the most common symptom is bone pain.〔 Loss of hearing in one or both ears may occur when Paget's disease affects the skull〔 and the bone that surrounds the inner ear. Treating the disease may slow or stop hearing loss. In rare cases, involvement of the skull may lead to compression of the nerves that supply the eye, leading to vision loss. Paget's may also cause gross deformities in the bones.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Paget's disease of bone」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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