Clinical presentation of Paget's disease of the bone in older patients

To determine the clinical presentation and manifestations of Paget's disease of the bone in patients older than 60 years, we reviewed the cases of 56 patients attending a bone clinic. Pain was the presenting symptom in 34 cases. It was attributed to the disease process in 21 cases, to osteoarthritis in 11, to trigeminal neuralgia in 1, and to osteosarcoma in 1. Other clinical manifestations included deformities (15 cases), diminished mobility and unsteady gait (9), hearing impairment (7), lethargy (4), diminished vision (3), cognitive deficit (3), sense of warmth in limbs (2), ill-fitting dentures (1), and fracture (1). We concluded that in patients older than 60 years, Paget's disease of the bone may present itself in a variety of ways, some of which may be mistakenly attributed to the "aging process" or some other disease. Furthermore, in this age group, osteoarthritis is responsible for the pain experienced by about one third of symptomatic patients.