Paget's disease of bone in two medieval skeletons from Poulton Chapel, Cheshire, UK

Bibliographic Data

ID12371107
AuthorsCarla L Burrell (0000-0003-3685-1328, Faculty of Archaeology Leiden University Leiden Netherlands, corresponding author), Michael M Emery (Chapel Archaeology Chester UK), Silvia Gonzalez (0009-0004-5528-9208, Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Paleoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK)
Year2019
Volume29
Issue6
Pages922-933
Publication date2019-08-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.2807
OpenAlexW2964561515
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited49

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a chronic, metabolic disease disrupting normal bone turnover and is reported as one of the most common bone diseases after osteoporosis. PDB is characterised by excessive bone remodelling resulting in bone enlargement, fragility, deformity and additional complications. Typically, PDB affects one or a few bones of the axial skeleton and is commonly recorded in older individuals (over 55 years of age) affecting more males than females. Although PDB has been reported worldwide, there is a high concentration of reported cases in the UK, with a regional hotspot in the northwest of England. This study reviews an adult male (SK463) and female (SK750) with skeletal lesions of PDB from Poulton Chapel, Cheshire. Full macroscopic and radiographic analysis has identified the skeletal distribution of PDB, with up to 75% of both skeletons affected. SK463 presents noticeable anterior bowing to both tibiae, likely the result of PDB. AMS radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis performed on teeth samples confirmed that both individuals' dates were medieval, had a mixed/varied diet and were local to the northwest of England. This research adds to the emerging paleopathological literature on PDB, while providing additional support for the identification of a geographical hotspot observed in contemporary populations

Biology · Bone remodeling · Disease · Osteoporosis · Osteosclerosis · Paget's disease of bone · Paleopathology · Pathology · Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) · Bone health and treatments · Dentistry · Medicine · Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology · Osteomyelitis and Bone Disorders Research · Internal Medicine