80 Trial use of salmon calcitonin in chronic bladder pain

Abstract

Purpose: To pilot use of Salmon Calcitonin (a peptide hormone for treatment of hypercalcaemia) in chronic bladder pain syndromes including interstitial cystitis. Calcitonin has been trailed with some success on other chronic regional pain syndromes such as phantom limb pain.Method: This is an ethics approved, double blinded, randomised crossover trial of 200IU intravenous Salmon Calcitonin vs. Placebo (Saline). Chronic bladder pain patients were recruited using standard NIDDK exclusion criteria. Patients were randomised to two arms, to receive either calcitonin or a saline infusion over 4 h. Bladder pain scores, bother, nocturia and frequency voiding were noted via visual analogue scales immediately prior to and 24 h after administration. Two weeks after first administration, patients arms were crossed over and the alternative infusion administered, again noting pre and postinfusion symptom scores.Results: Eight patients were enrolled in the trial. Analysis of pain scores via Wilcoxon Matched‐Pairs Signed‐Ranks Test showed a significant difference between pre and postcalcitonin (P ≤ 0.04688) as opposed to pre and postplacebo (P ≤ 0.125). No statistically significant difference was found in bother scores pre and post calcitonin or placebo. There was no significant difference found between pre and postcalcitonin or placebo for nocturia and daytime frequency.Conclusions: Calcitonin is a possible adjunct to conventional analgesia with little benefit for voiding symptoms. More numbers are required to further quantify the exact analgesic benefit.