title: Comparison of the effects of calcium carbonate and ossein-hydroxyapatite complex on back and knee pain and quality of life in osteopenic perimenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Back and knee pain (BP; KP), which often accompanies osteoporosis, is a prevalent health problem affecting quality of life (QoL) in middle-aged women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of calcium carbonate (CC) and ossein-hydroxyapatite complex (OHC) on BP and KP and QoL in perimenopausal osteopenic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  74 perimenopausal women were randomized to receive 1,200 mg/day of CC (n=38) or 1,660 mg/day of OHC (n=36) for 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, controlled, prospective study. Back and knee basal pain was recorded using a visual analogue scale (VAS) at each control and exercise-induced pain was recorded using a visual rating system (VRS). Changes in QoL were evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients treated with OHC, mean VAS and VRS pain scores decreased significantly after 5 and 6 months of treatment, indicating a significant analgesic effect. In the CC group, however, changes were minor and non-significant. Two-way analysis of variance using treatment group and time as independent variables revealed a significantly greater effect of OHC over CC on VAS and VRS scores. SF-36 showed significant improvement for OHC on the physical component summary score and no changes for CC. Responses to items assessing emotional and social aspects of QoL showed only a significant improvement in vitality for OHC and no significant changes for CC in any of the four dominions constituting the SF-36 mental component.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OHC has a significant analgesic effect and improves the physical component of QoL to a greater extent than CC.
authors.affiliation: Institut Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Institut d́Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: castelobranco@ub.edu.
authors.forename: Camil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castelo-Branco
authors.affiliation: Institut Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Institut d́Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jhery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dávila
authors.affiliation: Institut Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Institut d́Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Institut Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Institut d́Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balasch
mesh_terms: D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D047648:Perimenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
keywords: Back pain; Calcium carbonate; Knee pain; Ossein–hydroxyapatite complex; Osteopenia; SF-36