Causes And Risk Factors Of Paget's Disease

Paget's disease is a bone disorder that usually progresses at a slow rate. It's the second most common type of bone disease, and it affects the process of bone renewal. This gradual recycling process involves the replacement of old bone tissue with new bone tissue. The new tissue is generated too quickly in individuals with Paget's disease, and the resulting bone is weak and fragile. The disease can lead to bone pain, fractures, and deformities. The most commonly affected bones are located in the pelvis, skull, spine, and legs. Complications of Paget's disease include hearing loss, arthritis, osteoarthritis, heart failure, and bone cancer.

Environment

Research studies conducted over the years have indicated the possibility of patient environment playing a role in the emergence of Paget's disease. An investigation of environmental factors was carried out in Canada on 176 patients who lived in the same geographic area, and the information was gathered from a questionnaire completed by all the participants. Almost half of the patients had a family history of the disease. 

The study also included 147 healthy controls. The environmental factors utilized for analysis included wood-fired heating, residency near a mine, and hunting. There was some evidence linking environmental factors to the development of Paget's disease, but all forms of research are mostly inconclusive at this point.