ascorbic-acid and Osteitis-Deformans

In a short trial, 24 patients with Paget's disease of the bone were treated for 2 weeks with either ascorbic acid and calcitonin in combination, or with calcitonin alone. Pain relief was then assessed subjectively by the patients and classified as nil, some, or a marked reduction in pain. There were 11 patients in the group on combined therapy and 73% of them experienced pain relief, compared with 85% of the 13 patients in the group on calcitonin alone. In the patients who experienced pain relief, however, 62% of those on the ascorbic acid and calcitonin combination claimed a marked relief of pain compared with only 36% of the patients who responded to calcitonin alone. These results indicate that when calcitonin and ascorbic acid are used in combination they may provide an increase in the extent of pain relief, but do not increase the total proportion of patients actually obtaining relief. Urinary hydroxyproline excretion was reduced in the calcitonin treated group, but there was little change in the patients on the combined therapy.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Calcitonin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Osteitis Deformans; Pain

Sixteen patients with painful Paget's disease of the bone were treated with high doses of ascorbic acid. Of these patients, 8 experienced lessening of pain within a period of 5 to 7 days after commencing the vitamin therapy. In 3 of these patients pain was completely abolished. Subsequent treatment with calcitonin caused improvement in most cases. There was little change in plasma alkaline phosphatase levels but the excretion of hydroxyproline was elevated following administration of the vitamin. The highest excretions were found in those patients who experienced complete relief of pain. In patients treated with calcitonin alone, the excretion of hydroxyproline was reduced and urinary levels of ascorbic acid dropped in parallel. It seems clear that ascorbic acid and calcitonin have different effects upon bone metabolism.

Topics: Aged; Alkaline Phosphatase; Ascorbic Acid; Female; Humans; Hydroxyproline; Male; Osteitis Deformans; Pain

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Ascorbic Acid; Humans; Osteitis Deformans; Vitamins