[Vitamin D and survival of hemodialysis patients].

Abstract

Vitamin D receptors are expressed not only in the classical target organs (bone, parathyroid glands, kidneys and intestine) but also in other non-classical targets including arteries, heart, immune system, endocrine organs, and nervous system. Therefore, the deficiency of active forms of vitamin D in uremia may explain various abnormalities in biological functions and survival disadvantage in this disease condition. Previous studies reported that treatment with vitamin D had beneficial effects on cardiac and immune functions in dialysis patients. A recent observational cohort study indicated that the mortality risk was different between the groups taking different types of vitamin D analogues. We found that patients on a low-dose oral alfacalcidol showed a significantly lower risk for cardiovascular death than those without vitamin D supplementation. Although these observations need further confirmation by randomized controlled studies, appropriate use of active forms of vitamin D may improve the outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease.

• Authors: Tetsuo Shoji, Yoshiki Nishizawa
• Journal: Clinical calcium (Clin Calcium) Vol. 14 Issue 9 Pg. 64-8 (Sep 2004) ISSN: 0917-5857 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15577113 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Receptors, Calcitriol
• Vitamin D
• C-Reactive Protein

Topics

• C-Reactive Protein (physiology)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (etiology, mortality, prevention & control)
• Cohort Studies
• Humans
• Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular (prevention & control)
• Immune System Diseases (drug therapy, etiology)
• Inflammation (drug therapy, etiology)
• Kidney Failure, Chronic (complications)
• Myocardial Contraction (drug effects)
• Prognosis
• Receptors, Calcitriol (metabolism, physiology)
• Renal Dialysis (adverse effects)
• Risk
• Vitamin D (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, pharmacology, physiology)
• Vitamin D Deficiency (drug therapy, etiology)