[Double-blind study on the efficacy of long-term intermittent nasal elcatonin in recent postmenopausal women]

Continuous treatment with calcitonin (CT) has caused an increase of bone mineral density for the first 18 months, followed by a partial decrease of it. In order to obtain a better result in a two year follow-up, it is proposed a schedule treatment during 50% to 66% of the time in recent postmenopausal women.

Pilot, double-blind, randomised, two years follow-up study. 60 women with osteopenia less than 5 years from menopause received 40 U of intranasal elcatonin (ELC) or placebo (PL) 2 months ON, one month OFF. Compliance, safety, pain and the degree of incapacity were evaluated at baseline and every 3 months. At the start and every six months lumbar and femoral BMD were assessed with DXA.

41 patients completed the study (21 ELC and 20 PL). There were no basal differences. The treatment was actually used during 59% of the follow-up time in the ELC group and during 58% of the time in the PL group. Basal T-scores were -2.29 SD in the PL group and -2.42 SD in the ELC group. Bone densitometry showed an increase of BMD in the group of patients treated with ELC up to 18 months (lumbar and femoral) but a loss in those patients that received PL.

40 U of nasal elcatonin for more than 50% of the observation time prevents in the long-term (2 years) the progressive loss of bone mineral density in recent postmenopausal women.