Paget’s Disease of Bone and Cardiovascular Risk: a Pilot Study

Background: The association between Paget’s disease of bone (PDB) and increased cardiovascular (CV) risk has been suggested, but the literature is conflicting. Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate two markers of CV risk [common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) and the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV)] in patients with PDB. Methods: We enrolled 12 patients with PDB and 58 control subjects, matched for age. Diagnosis of PDB was based on clinical, radiological and biochemical parameters. Results: Patients with PDB showed higher PWV values than the controls, whereas cIMT was slightly but not significantly increased. Conclusion: These findings, although limited by the small study population, represent an original observation that deserves further study. The higher arterial stiffness in PDB could be related to the increased bone turnover or to the high levels of oxidative stress that characterize this population.