Papers And Originals
Treatment of Paget's Disease of Bone with Mithramycin
Br Med J 1971; 1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.5746.421 (Published 20 February 1971) Cite this as: Br Med J 1971;1:421
- John R. Condon,
- S. B. M. Reith,
- J. R. Nassim,
- F. J. C. Millard,
- A. Hilb,
- E. M. Stainthorpe
Abstract
We report data from three patients with severe Paget's disease of bone who were treated with mithramycin.
Mithramycin infusion resulted in a fall in plasma calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and urinary hydroxyproline excretion. There was an improvement in calcium and phosphorus balance in two of the three subjects studied. A pronounced or complete relief of bone pain occurred in all three.
We suggest that mithramycin exerts its beneficial effect in Paget's disease of bone by stimulating parathyroid hormone release. The parathyroid hormone released has a predominantly anabolic action on bone since its catabolic action is blocked by mithramycin, which inhibits bone resorption.