Effect of calcium and stanozolol on calcitonin secretion in patients with femoral neck fracture.

The role of calcitonin in the aetiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis remains uncertain. Oestrogen, an established therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis, has been shown to enhance calcitonin secretion. In order to assess whether two other osteoporotic drug treatments, oral calcium and stanozolol (an anabolic steroid), may also affect calcitonin secretion, 20 elderly women with femoral neck fracture were randomly selected to receive either 880 mg calcium or 5 mg stanozolol daily for 12 weeks. Basal calcitonin and serum calcium were not altered significantly by either treatment. The calcitonin response to a 10 min infusion of calcium was enhanced following treatment with oral calcium but not stanozolol. This suggests one possible mechanism of action whereby calcium may exert its antiresorptive effect on bone and supports the use of oral calcium in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.