Calcitonin effect on Achilles tendon healing. An experimental study on rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
A positive potential effect of Calcitonin (CT) on Achilles tendon healing was investigated as well as the ability of MRI to follow the tendon healing process.


METHODS
A standardized tenotomy of the Achilles tendon was performed on forty-two rabbits. Twenty-one animals received daily 21 IU /kg Calcitonin intramuscularly (treatment group CT) during the experiment and the remaining received saline solution (control group P). Seven animals from each group were killed at one, two and three weeks postoperatively. All animals had serial MRI scans and tendon samples underwent biomechanical and histological testing.


RESULTS
For both groups, animals of the same subgroup showed statistically significant difference in signal intensity values of MRI between the 1st and 3rd week (p<0.001) and between the 2nd and 3rd week (p<0.001). Signal intensity values of MRI didn't show any differences between animals under treatment and controls measured at 1st (p=0.23), 2nd (p=0.23) and 3rd (p=0.53) postoperative week. Tendon samples from group CT showed statistically significant difference in ultimate tensile strength compared to controls at 2 (p<0,0005) and 3 (p<0,0005) weeks post-surgery. Histology showed a positive Calcitonin effect at all tendon healing stages.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that Calcitonin enhances Achilles tendon healing process.
Petrou
C G
CG
Department of Orthopaedics, Hatzicostas General Hospital, Messolongi, Greece.
Karachalios
T S
TS
Khaldi
L
L
Karantanas
A H
AH
Lyritis
G P
GP
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002116:Calcitonin