Health, Medicine
Hormone calcitonin: study, norm and abnormalities
Calcitonin is a hormone for which the thyroid gland is responsible. It is formed in parafollicular cells of this organ. By chemical nature, the hormone calcitonin is a polypeptide. It consists of 32 aminokislot.
What are the functions of calcitonin?
It takes part in the metabolism of phosphorus and calcium in the body. Calcitonin of the thyroid gland lowers the content of these chemical elements in the blood by increasing their capture by the cells of the bone system.
Also, this substance regulates the reproduction of osteoblasts and their activity.
In medicine, the hormone calcitonin serves as an oncomarker. By its number in the blood recognize cancer.
This substance is an antagonist of parathyroid hormone, which is also produced by the thyroid gland.
Calcitonin (hormone) is normal in women and men
Its amount can increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, the hormone calcitonin can be found in the blood above the norm with a lack of calcium in the body. If the amount of this substance in the blood significantly exceeds the norm, this indicates the presence of cancer.
Calcitonin (hormone) is the norm:
- In women, 0.07-12.97 pg / ml;
- In men, 0.68-32.26 pg / ml;
- In children 0.07-70 pg / ml;
- In newborns - 70-150 pg / ml.
Above are the norms for enzyme immunoassay. Immunochemiluminescent analysis can also be performed.
Calcitonin (hormone) is the norm for immunochemiluminescent analysis:
- Men - up to 2.46 pmol / l;
- Women - up to 1.46 pmol / l.
Above normal level
If the hormone calcitonin is raised slightly, this may indicate a lack of calcium in the body, as well as some diseases of the bone system.
If the blood level in the blood is greatly increased (more than 100 pg / ml), then it can be said with high probability that a person has cancer of the thyroid gland, kidney, breast, liver or stomach.
Also, the hormone calcitonin can be contained in the blood in a high amount in acute pancreatitis, anemia, hyperplasia of the thyroid C-cells, Paget's disease, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, with increased thyroid production of parathyroid hormone).
A slight increase in the hormone may also occur in chronic inflammatory diseases, kidney failure, and pregnancy.
Level below the norm
Reduced calcitonin is a rare phenomenon. This fact can be evidence of excessive physical exertion.
Indications for analysis
If some diseases are suspected, doctors examine how much of the patient's blood contains calcitonin. An analysis for this hormone is prescribed in the following cases:
- With suspected thyroid cancer;
- To assess the effectiveness of surgical removal of the tumor;
- For subsequent monitoring of the patient's condition in the treatment of cancer;
- When diagnosing calcium metabolism disorders in the body.
How to prepare?
It is very important to properly prepare for the analysis, otherwise the results may be inaccurate, which will affect the diagnosis. So, when taking blood to the level of calcitonin in the blood it is necessary to observe such rules:
- A few days before the analysis is necessary to abandon physical exertion;
- During the day before donating blood, you should not drink alcohol;
- An hour before the analysis you can not smoke;
- Blood is spent on research only in the morning;
- The analysis is passed on an empty stomach;
- Half an hour before blood donation for the study, the patient should be at rest.
Calcitonin as a medicine
Sometimes it may be necessary to administer this hormone in the form of tablets, injections and an intranasal spray.
| Indications | This drug is prescribed when the human bone system is weakened. These are: osteoporosis after menopause, osteopenia, osteolysis, Paget's disease, Zudeck 's disease, algodystrophy. Also, calcitonin is prescribed with an excess in the body of vitamin D, with excessive production of the parathyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. |
| Contraindications | Calcitonin hormone is forbidden to use in patients who have an individual intolerance to synthetic calcitonin or other components that are part of the tablets. |
| Side effects | There may be allergic reactions that are characterized by symptoms such as redness and swelling at the injection site, impaired digestive system, rash. In severe cases of allergy, anaphylactic shock can occur, which is accompanied by tachycardia and a decrease in blood pressure. When taking calcitonin in the form of tablets, these side effects may occur: dizziness, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, decreased performance, cough, visual impairment, pharyngitis, myalgia. When using calcitonin in the form of a nasal spray, such side effects can arise: swelling of the nasal mucosa, itching, sneezing, mucous dryness, sinusitis, nosebleeds. If side effects occur, the drug should be discontinued. |
Before the appointment of calcitonin, a skin allergic test is usually performed. If a redness and swelling appeared on the area of the skin where the hormone was applied, the drug can not be used, since the patient will immediately develop an allergic reaction. In this case, a skin test is performed on another type of calcitonin.
Calcitonin, which is used as a medicine, can be of a different nature. It can be a hormone of a salmon, a pig or a recombinant human. The first has maximum biological activity. Therefore, it is used most often. It happens that the human body can not tolerate only one of the types of calcitonin. In this case, you should carefully study the composition of the drug and warn your doctor about the characteristics of your body.
In no case should you take the drug without consulting a doctor, as before the appointment of medications containing calcitonin, must be carried out an allergic test. Uncontrolled use of the drug can cause a number of side effects, as well as hormonal failure and metabolic disorders.
Similar articles
Trending Now