Calcitonin and calcium combined therapy in osteoporosis: effects on vertebra trabecular bone density

Calcitonin is a hormone produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland. Like calcium salts, calcitonin acts by reducing bone resorption. In this study, 26 osteoporotic patients were given 100 IU salmon calcitonin for 10 days and, thereafter, 100 IU calcitonin every other day for 80 days combined with 1000 mg/day calcium salts. Prior to and after the combined therapy, the mean trabecular bone densities from the levels of thoracic 12 and lumbar 1 and 2 were obtained and routine thoracic and lumbar radiography performed. Combined calcitonin and calcium therapy for 3 months produced significant increases in vertebra trabecular bone density. The evaluation of the trabecular bone density and the number of non-traumatic compression fractures in 26 osteoporotic patients prior to the therapy did not indicate any close relationship between them. It is concluded that, in addition to other factors reported previously, microtraumas during daily activities have some effect on the incidence of fractures.