Effects of Calcitonin Addition on Epidural Injection in Patients with Degenerative Spinal Canal Stenosis: A Randomised Double Blind Clinical Trial

Objective: Back pain is reported to be the fifth most common reason for referral a patient to a physician and the most common disability in modern society. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of calcitonin addition on epidural injection in patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis in comparison with epidural triamcinolone injection. Methods: This clinical trial study was performed on 40 patients with degenerative spinal stenosis, referred to pain clinic of Rasoul Akram Hospital in 2018, who were randomly divided into two groups, intervention and control groups, including 20 individuals in each group. In the intervention group, 50 units of calcitonin were injected with 8 cc of ropivacaine 0.2%, whilst 80 mg of triamcinolone with 8 cc of ropivacaine 0.2% was injected in the control group. Functional disability was evaluated based on the Oswestry Disability Index and pain ratings were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Pain at 4 and 8 weeks after the procedure was significantly different between the two groups. A significant difference in the patient disability index was observed between the two groups at 8 and 12 weeks after the procedure. On the other hand, the rate of analgesic consumption at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the procedure was significantly decreased in the calcitonin group (P < .001). Conclusions: Based on our results, injection of calcitonin into the epidural space can reduce the pain of the patients and their analgesic consumption compared to the group receiving steroids through the epidural space.