title: Comparison of the analgesic efficacy of pamidronate and synthetic human calcitonin in osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a double-blind controlled study.
abstract: Our aim was to compare the analgesic efficacy of pamidronate (PAM) and synthetic human calcitonin (CT) in intravenous infusion for recent painful benign vertebral compression in a randomised prospective double-blind study. Twenty-seven patients aged 49-85 years with painful benign non-traumatic vertebral compression were included in the study. They received either PAM (1 mg/kg) or synthetic human CT (1.5 mg) as an intravenous infusion. Pain and functional disability were evaluated before infusion, and 4 and 30 days afterwards. The pain score assessed on a visual analogue scale at day 0 was 5.94+/-2.47 in patients treated with PAM and 6.27+/-2.50 in patients treated with CT (p=0.74); at day 4, 4.8+/-2.80 with PAM vs 3.9+/-2.68 with CT (p=0.37); and at day 30, 3.6+/-3.13 with PAM vs 3.10+/-2.76 with CT (p=0.70). Spinal function scores were 18.21+/-3.17 at day 0 in patients treated with PAM vs 17.23+/-4.42 in patients treated with CT (p=0.69) and at day 30, 13.7+/-5.36 with PAM vs 12.33+/-3.22 with CT (p=0.68). We found no advantage of PAM over CT in a single intravenous infusion for the treatment of painful recent benign vertebral compression. Since CT is ten times less costly, its use should be preferred.
authors.affiliation: Service de Rhumatologie, CHU Rangueil, 1 Avenue J. Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. laroche.m@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laroche
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cantogrel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jamard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Constantin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zabraniecki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cantagrel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazières
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077268:Pamidronate; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D002116:Calcitonin; D000077268:Pamidronate