Effect of a low calcium dialysate on parathyroid hormone secretion in diabetic patients on maintenance hemodialysis

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH 1-84), published as a randomized controlled trial.

At baseline and after 6 months and 12 months of study, low (1 mEq/liter) and high (4 mEq/liter) calcium dialysis studies were performed to determine parathyroid function.

Why It Was Studied

Diabetic patients on maintenance dialysis often are characterized by a relative parathyroid hormone (PTH) deficiency and a form of renal osteodystrophy with low bone turnover known as adynamic bone.

At baseline, basal (I, 126+/-20 vs.

Who Took Part

The study group was 20 patients.

PubMed indexes the participants as middle-aged adults, both men and women.

Thirty-three diabetic maintenance hemodialysis patients with basal PTH values less than 300 pg/ml were randomized to be dialyzed with either a regular (3.0 mEq/liter or 3.5 mEq/liter, group I) or low (2.25 mEq/liter or 2.5 mEq/liter, group II) calcium dialysate for 1 year.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized study.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH 1-84) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

The methods mention a period of 1 year.

What Was Measured

II, 342 pg/ml+/-65 pg/ml) PTH levels were not different.

The subject headings attached to it are Calcium, Diabetic Nephropathies, Parathyroid Hormone and Renal Dialysis.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH 1-84) in 20 patients over 1 year.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2000 (Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research), a journal based in England.

More context: the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH 1-84) compound page, all human trials.