Complementary medical treatment for Colles' fracture: a comparative, randomized, longitudinal study.
In 45 women with Colles' fracture, two types of complementary medical treatment (calcitonin with calcium [SCT+Ca] and calcium alone [Ca]) were compared with placebo. Consecutive patients were assigned randomly to one of the three study groups at the time of inclusion in the study: 15 women (68.6 +/- 5.7 years) were given 100 IU/day I.M. of SCT plus 1200 mg of elemental Ca for 10 successive days each month; 15 women (71.7 +/- 6.1 years) were given only 1200 mg of elemental Ca for 10 days each month; and 15 women (66.9 +/- 7. 9 years) were treated with placebo. Biochemical and radiogrammetric studies were made at baseline and after 1 year of treatment. In the SCT+Ca group tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase decreased (Wilcoxon test, P = 0.014) and the metacarpal index and the cortical and total area (CA/TA) ratio increased (both P = 0.001). In the group treated with Ca alone, no changes were observed. In the placebo group, the metacarpal index and CA/TA decreased (P = 0.015 and P = 0.007, respectively). Ca alone, at the dosage used here, inhibited bone loss after Colles' fracture. The addition of SCT to Ca administration not only impeded bone loss but significantly increased cortical bone mass.
Crespo
R
R
Department of Medicine, University of Alcalá de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain.
Revilla
M
M
Crespo
E
E
Villa
L F
LF
Rico
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003100:Colles' Fracture / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D013030:Spain
D015415:Biomarkers; D002116:Calcitonin; D002118:Calcium