[Salmon calcitonin in osteoporosis. The effect of intranasal application on bone mineral content and fracture frequency in postmenopausal women with manifest osteoporotic changes].

The objective was to study the dose-related response of intranasal salmon calcitonin (Salcatonin) on bone mass and bone turnover and the effect of salcatonin on rates of fracture in elderly women with moderate osteoporosis. A total of 208 healthy women aged 68-72 years, who had a bone mineral content (BMC) of the distal forearm 30% below the mean value for healthy premenopausal women, were examined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized group comparison study. They were randomized to a two-year daily treatment of either 50 IU, 100 IU, 200 IU Salcatonin or placebo. All received 500 mg calcium daily. In the calcium-(placebo)-treated group the BMC of the spine increased 1%, whereas an increase of 3% was seen in the 200 IU Salcatonin treated group. There was a dose-related response to Salcatonin manifested by an increase in BMC of 1.0%/100 IU. The incidence of new fractures was significantly lower in the women treated with Salcatonin (about one third of that in the non-Salcatonin treated women). In conclusion the results suggest that, compared with calcium alone, Salcatonin given intranasally reduces the rate of fracture by two thirds in elderly women with moderate osteoporosis. Furthermore, it increases spinal bone mass in a dose dependent manner.