title: Comparisons on efficacy of elcatonin and limaprost alfadex in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and concurrent osteoporosis: a preliminary study using a crossover design.
abstract: METHODS
  Multicenter prospective study with a crossover design.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of limaprost alfadex (LP) and elcatonin (EL) for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients with concurrent osteoporosis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  It has been increasingly important to improve quality of life by establishing appropriate conservative treatments for LSS patients with concurrent osteoporosis who will presumably continue to increase due to the percentage of the aging elevations, however there is no prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 19 patients with LSS and concurrent osteoporosis were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups and compared using a crossover design. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) and short-form (SF)-8 health survey scale were used for clinical evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement of buttock-leg pain and numbness in the EL group. A significant improvement of impaired walking function was noted for the LP group according to the JOABPEQ while the rest of the items in the JOABPEQ showed no significant differences. The SF-8 health survey revealed that somatic pains and physical summary scores in the EL group and physical functioning and physical summary scores in the LP group tended to improve but not to any statistically significant extents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concomitant uses of EL may be useful in patients who do not respond satisfactorily to the treatments of LP for 6-8 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanchiku
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imajo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi Rosai Hospital, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Toshikatsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi Grand Medical Center, Yamaguchi, Janpan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
keywords: Elcatonin; Limaprost alfadex; Lumbar spinal stenosis; Osteoporosis; Pharmacotherapy