Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with salmon calcitonin suppositories

Bone mineral density (BDM) at radial and lumbar sites, and bone turnover markers (serum alkaline phosphatase, serum bone Gla protein, and urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine) were measured in 60 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis randomly assigned to three groups of treatment: salmon calcitonin suppositories 100 IU/day plus calcium 0.5 g/day (group A, n=15), 200 IU/every other day plus calcium 0.5 g/day (group B, n=15), and calcium 1.0 g/day (group C, n=30). The study was designed on four cycles of 6-month treatment, with S-month intervals in which no drug was given. Forty-eight patients completed the 33 months of study: 13 in group A, 12 in group B, and 23 in group C, In groups A and B at the end of the study BMD resulted to be unchanged or increased compared with baseline, and markers of bone turnover decreased significantly. In group C, further bone loss occurred, and markers of bone turnover did not show significant variations.:No differences in efficacy and tolerability were detected between the two dosage regimens of rectal salmon calcitonin. We conclude that salmon calcitonin in suppositories form is effective in reducing bone loss and turnover in postmenopausal osteoporosis.