Paget's disease of bone is a chronic disorder characterized by abnormal bone remodeling.
The role of trace element accumulation in bone as an etiologic factor in Paget's disease remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
To investigate the hypothesis that trace element accumulation in bone influences the etiology of Paget's disease.
To compare trace element concentrations in pagetoid bone versus normal bone.
Main Methods:
Iliac bone samples from 11 Paget's disease cases and 11 matched controls were analyzed using emission spectrometry.
A secondary analysis using atomic absorption spectrometry was performed on an additional 10 case/control pairs and the original 11 pairs, focusing on lead, barium, and strontium.
Main Results:
Lead concentrations were significantly lower in pagetoid bone compared to normal bone from both cases and controls.
Barium levels were also lower in diseased bone when results from both analyses were combined.
Normal bone from Paget's disease cases exhibited lower lead levels than normal bone from controls, suggesting a systemic abnormality in lead distribution.
Conclusions:
The study found lower, not higher, lead levels in Paget's disease bone, challenging the hypothesis of accumulation as an etiologic factor.
Evidence suggests an intrinsic abnormality in lead distribution within the skeleton of individuals with Paget's disease.
Further research is needed to elucidate the precise role of trace elements in Paget's disease pathogenesis.