Elcatonin in Combination with Risedronate Is More Effective than Risedronate Alone for Relieving Back Pain in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

Intramuscularly administered elcatonin (ECT) reduces pain via the central nervous system. A prospective study was performed to determine whether ECT has a beneficial effect on back pain and function in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis during bisphosphonate therapy. Sixty-one postmenopausal osteoporotic women with back pain (mean age: 73.7 years, range: 54-96 years) were divided into two groups: the control group (n=30) and the ECT (intramuscular, 20 units a week) group (n=31). All patients received treatment with risedronate (17.5 mg weekly). The duration of the study was 8 weeks. Urinary levels of cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX), visual analogue scale (VAS) for back pain at rest and movement, and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) score for function were assessed. Urinary NTX levels, VAS at rest and movement, and RDQ score markedly decreased during 8 weeks of treatment in both ECT and control groups. A significant reduction in VAS at movement, but not in VAS at rest and RDQ score, was noted in the ECT group than in the control group. This effect was observed from 2 weeks after the start of therapy. These results suggested that ECT in combination with risedronate was more effective than risedronate alone for reducing back pain in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.