Systemic therapy with calcitonin has positive clinical effects on systemic sclerosis in patients with cutaneous manifestations.

BACKGROUND: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a vasodilatory neuropeptide that plays an important role in the blood vessels of heart and peripheral circulation, a lack of which may cause vasculopathies.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the clinical course of disease, as well as the efficacy, side effects, and patient satisfaction of systemic calcitonin therapy in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), was evaluated.

METHODS: Forty-nine patients received repetitive intravenous calcitonin infusions as first-line treatment. The average number of cycles was 12.2 ± 10.3 over a period of 30 months (each cycle: 100 U/day over 10 days). Clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and organ imaging were performed before the start of, and at regular intervals during therapy in order to evaluate organ manifestations and the clinical course of the disease. In addition, patients' own experiences of the therapy, side effects, and therapy success were evaluated with standardized questionnaires.

RESULTS: Over the course of the treatment, seven patients experienced improvements in their condition with a considerable reduction in digital ulceration and improved movement (14.3%). Pulmonary function in seven patients improved during the therapy (14.3%). With regards to side effects, nausea (41.7%), headaches (33.3%), fluctuations in blood pressure (29.2%), and flushing (29.2%) were observed. Overall, 45.8% of patients evaluated the therapy as good and 58.3% would undergo further courses of therapy with calcitonin.

CONCLUSIONS: Systemic calcitonin treatment seems to have positive clinical effects on SSc and contributes to relieving symptoms, especially in patients with cutaneous manifestations. No severe side effects were reported during this study.