Calcitonin treatment in lumbar spinal stenosis: clinical observations

The prognosis of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis is usually considered poor, and they often need decompression surgery. This study investigates the clinical efficacy and safety of intramuscular calcitonin therapy in 15 lumbar spinal stenosis patients with a neurogenic claudication syndrome. The study is based on several tests used to measure the patient's physical performance capacity. Calcitonin had some beneficial effects on the patients without appreciable side-effects. Because of possible placebo effect, a double-blind cross-over study has been started.