Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is one of the important complications effecting the rehabilitation programmes of hemiplegic patients in a negative manner by causing
pain and function loss. In this study, the aim was to investigate the effects of
salmon calcitonin treatment in
reflex sympathetic dystrophy that develops in
hemiplegia. Forty-one patients with
hemiplegia resulting from cerebrovascular events and stage 1-2
reflex sympathetic dystrophy were included in the study.
Salmon calcitonin, 1 x 100 IU/day intramuscularly for 4 weeks, was administered to 25 of these patients (
calcitonin group) to the other 16 patients physiological saline, 1 ml/day intramuscularly for 4 weeks, was administered (control group). At the end of the fourth week of treatment the
pain score of the
calcitonin group was significantly lower than that of the control group. Shoulder abduction and external rotation, wrist flexion and metacarpophalangeal extension of the
calcitonin group were found to be significantly better than those of the control group. In the
calcitonin group the significant decrease in
pain and tenderness resulted in improvement of range of motion and motor functions.