[Behavior of urinary excretion of cyclic AMP in post-menopausal osteoporosis during therapy with salmon calcitonin].

Salmon calcitonin has been administered at a dose of 100 U.M.R.C. for 6 months in 10 patients suffering from post-menopausal osteoporosis. During treatment, calcium plasma levels fluctuated but tended to fall, while urinary excretion of cyclic AMP rose, this pointing to an enhancement of parathyroid function. After 6 months an increase in intestinal calcium absorption and a decrease in bone turnover were also observed, the bone mineral content evaluated by bone densitometry showed a slight quantitative increase but proved to be substantially unchanged. Salmon calcitonin thus proved capable of interfering with bone turnover by reducing the bone resorption. By fostering an increase in parathyroid hormone production, it also made it possible to exploit that anabolic effect which, in low doses, the parathormone exerts on the bone tissue.