[Treatment of Paget's disease of bone: diphosphonates or calcitonin?].

During the past 6 years 16 patients suffering from Paget's disease of bone have been treated and regularly followed up in our department. 10 of these patients have received etidronate (ethane-hydroxy-diphosphonate), 4 others have received synthetic human calcitonin and the last 2 have received both treatments, first successively then simultaneously. Under either therapy satisfactory clinical and biological results have been observed (diminution of pain and decreased levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and hydroxyprolinuria). Etidronate has been more efficient in reducing biological parameters, whereas calcitonin has produced a faster symptomatic response. On the basis of these observations the present principles for treatment of Paget's disease are discussed.