Paget's disease of bone.

Paget's disease is a common disorder of bone of presumed viral aetiology which, in a minority of patients, may cause severe symptoms. Both calcitonin and the diphosphonates have specific anti-pagetic effects. Newer diphosphonates, unlike etidronate, do not impair mineralization, and when they become available these will be the drugs of choice. Until that time, both calcitonin and etidronate continue to have a useful place in the management of this disorder.