Calcitonin Injection and Functional Status of Females With Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common diseases of both bone and cartilage. Since calcitonin may have positive effect on both of them. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of weekly calcitonin injection on patients with knee osteoarthritis using Western Ontario and McMaster universities arthritis index (WOMAC) questionnaire. The current prospective cross sectional study, randomly recruited 28 eligible female participants aged 55 - 70 from outpatients referred to rehabilitation clinics. These patients were in stages II and III based on Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale. Patients were requested to fill out the multidimensional WOMAC questionnaire on the day of enrollment into the study (baseline examination) and five weeks after completion of their treatment with calcitonin. Paired T-test was used to assess mean differences of the questionnaire. Compared to baseline, significant improvement in WOMAC score was observed after five weeks of treatment. Pain, joint stiffness, functional activity and total score of WOMAC showed improvement of 80.6%, 25.3%, 41.9% and 47.91% respectively, which were statistically significant (P value < 0.001). Pain, activity and stiffness improved respectively according to the mean differences and confidence interval. The study results showed that calcitonin can provide proper outcomes such as increased locomotor activity. Although WOMAC parameters increased in all age groups, it had great effect just on 55 - 60 years age group. Therefore, improvement of quality of life and proper rehabilitation, which are the main factors in osteoarthritis patients, were almost achieved in this study.