[Differences in the cellular response of the immune system in patients with Paget's disease of bone after elcatonin and etidronate administration].

: A cellular immunological defect is present in patients with Paget's disease of the bone. Low counts of CD4, high counts of CD8, and a low CD4/CD8 ratio were observed in 58 patients compared with controls. These findings were not correlated with the metabolic activity of the disease. After therapy with Elcatonine an improvement in the cellular immunological defect was observed in 15 patients. Etidronate improved the biochemical bone patterns but no changes were observed in the number of lymphocytic subpopulations. These changes can be related to the improvement in the bone metabolic disorder or be the result of an effect on the altered immunity in this disease.