[What do we know about the significance of vitamin D in Paget's disease of the bone?].

Background: The authors present a report on the importance of vitamin D metabolites in Paget's disease of bone and on blood levels of some biologically active vitamin D metabolites in patients with Paget's disease of bone. Data on vitamin D metabolism in tests of new bisphosphonates are inadequate.

Methods And Results: In 18 men and 6 women the activity of Paget's disease of bone was investigated by assessment of the serum activity of the bone isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase, the plasma osteocalcin concentration and urinary hydroxyproline excretion. The plasma concentration of the sum of hydroxylated vitamin D metabolites and 1.25 dihydroxyvitamin D were assessed by means of the radioreceptor test according to the winter standard and by radioimmunoanalysis. For statistical evaluation the paired Student's t-test and non-parametric Friedman test were used to assess the significance of differences between the mean (p < 0.01) and simultaneous testing at the 5% level of significance.

Conclusions: In patients with a low activity and thus untreated Paget's disease of bone no deviations in plasma vitamin D metabolites were revealed.