Calcifediol (25-Hydroxyvitamin D3) in the Treatment of Uremic Bone Disease

Excerpt

Renal osteodystrophy is a generic term referring to the many morphologic and biochemical abnormalities of the skeleton in uremia. Although various combinations exist, the basic histologic features of the disorder are those of osteitis fibrosa (which reflects hyperparathyroidism) and osteomalacia (or defective mineralization).

Within the past two decades, a great deal of information has accumulated on the pathogenesis of uremic bone disease (1). For example, the severity of the secondary hyperparathyroidism accompanying renal failure is clearly related to various factors, not the least of which are hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia. Consequently, therapy has been directed toward controlling blood phosphorus levels by