[The hypocalcemia test, using human and salmon synthetic calcitonins. Paradoxical hypercalcemic responses. Responses in patients with Paget's disease treated with EHDP].

The hypercalcemia observed during the acute calcitonin test reflects the size and the activity of the osteoclastic population throughout the entire skeleton. Several calcitonins of animal origin (pork, salmon) have already been used for this test in human pathology, but the results can be flawed by the presence of anti-calcitonin antibodies. The authors demonstrate that human synthetic anti-calcitonin in man has a hypocalcemia effect identical to salmon synthetic calcitonin, with an equipotential dose for the rat. The systematic study of acute salmon calcitonin in various osteopathies makes it possible to note a certain number of paradoxical responses with prolonged hypercalcemia in the hours following injection. This is observed especially in the "hyperosteoidosis states" and the authors attempt to give it a physiopathological explanation. Finally, the acute salmon calcitonin test can be used as a mean of surveillance of the anti-osteoclastic activity of the disphosphonates in the treatment of Paget's disease.