Cemented vertebra and adjacent vertebra refractured in a chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder patient: A case report

BACKGROUND Although percutaneous vertebral augmentation(PVA)is a commonly used procedure for treating vertebral compression fracture(VCF),the risk of vertebral refracture should be considered.Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder(CKD-MBD)is a systemic disease of mineral and bone metabolism.It is associated with an increased risk of fracture.Few studies have reported the use of PVA in patients with CKD-MBD.We herein report a rare case wherein the cemented vertebra and the adjacent vertebra refractured simultaneously in a CKD-MBD patient after PVA.CASE SUMMARY A 74-year-old man suffered from low back pain after taking a fall about 3 wk ago.According to physical examination,imaging and laboratory findings,diagnoses of T12 VCF,CKD-MBD,and chronic kidney disease stage 5 were established.He then received percutaneous vertebroplasty at T12 vertebra.Fourteen weeks later,he presented with T12 and L1 vertebral refractures caused by lumbar sprain.Once again,he was given PVA which was optimized for the refractured vertebrae.Although the short-term postoperative effect was satisfactory,he reported chronic low back pain again at the 3-month follow-up.CONCLUSION It is necessary that patients with CKD-MBD who have received PVA are aware of the adverse effects of CKD-MBD.It may increase the risk of vertebral refracture.Furthermore,the PVA surgical technique needs to be optimized according to the condition of the patient.The medium-and long-term effects of PVA remain uncertain in patients with CKD-MBD.

Sleep disorders and chronic kidney disease

Sleep disorders have a profound and well-documented impact on overall health and quality of life in the general population. In patients with chronic disease, sleep disorders are more prevalent, with an additional morbidity and mortality burden. The complex and dynamic relationship between sleep disorders and chronic kidney disease(CKD) remain relatively little investigated. This article presents an overview of sleep disorders in patients with CKD, with emphasis on relevant pathophysiologic underpinnings and clinical presentations. Evidence-based interventions will be discussed, in the context of individual sleep disorders, namely sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and excessive daytime sleepiness. Limitations of the current knowledge as well as future research directions will be highlighted, with a final discussion of different conceptual frameworks of the relationship between sleep disorders and CKD.

Hematological Disorders during Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 3 to 5 Non-Dialysed in Cameroon

Introduction: Haematological disorders are common complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) leading by anemia which increase with the severity of the disease. Objective: Assess the haematological profile of CKD patients stages 3 to 5 non-dialysed seen at the first nephrology consultation in Cameroon. Patients and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to July 2018 at the nephrology unit of the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital and Douala General Hospital. All adults’ (≥18 years old) patients who provided a written informed consent and attended their first nephrology consultation with a nephrologist diagnosis of CKD stages 3 to 5 non-dialysed were included. Clinical and paraclinical data (serum creatinine, full blood count, reticulocytes count, iron status, vitamin B12 and folates count, and bleeding time) were collected. Parametric, non-parametric and correlations tests were used to compare variables. Results: We included 105 (59% males) participants with a mean age of 55.2 ± 13.6 years divided into 20 (19%), 36 (34.3%) and 49 (46.7%) respectively in stage G3, G4 and G5 of CKD. The profile of hematological abnormalities was anemia (86.7%), leucopenia (15.2%), hyperleucocytosis (6.7%), thrombopenia (23.8%), thrombocytosis (3.8%) and prolonged bleeding time (13.3%) without any association with the stage of CKD (p > 0.05). The pattern of anemia was mainly normocytic and normochromic (59.3%) and aregenerative (92.3%) with iron deficiency found in 23 (21.9%) participants. There was no case of vitamin B12 and folates deficiency. Prolonged bleeding time was observed in 14 (13.3%) participants with a weak correlation between platelets count and bleeding time (r = 0.122). Conclusion: We observed that aregenerative normocytic normochromic anemia is the leading haematological abnormality during CKD in this setting. None of the full blood count parameters was associated with CKD stages and there was a week correlation between bleeding time and platelet count.

Potential efficacy and mechanism of medicinal plants on chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification:a review

Vascular calcification is a crucial risk factor that affects the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease patients.Modern medicine relies on calcium-phosphorus binding agents,calcium mimetics,active vitamin D,and hemodialysis to prevent and treat vascular calcification,however,their efficacy is unsatisfactory and adverse reactions often occur.Medical plant therapy can act as an integrative regulator in patients with chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification,which can significantly improve patients’symptoms,but its specific mechanism has not been fully elucidated yet.In this paper,we reviewed the domestic and international theoretical studies on the pathogenesis mechanism of chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification in recent years,summarized eight active ingredients of medicinal plants as well as four compound formulas for improving chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification,and explored the mechanism of action of herbal medicine,which will provide a new strategy for promoting the prevention and treatment of vascular calcification.

Hypertension and associated complications in pregnant women with chronic kidney disease

The growing incidence of obesity and the rising trend of increased age during pregnancy have led to a high number of pregnant women with chronic kidney disease(CKD).Chronic hypertension is commonly associated with CKD and is not only the result of renal damage but is also the cause of declining renal function.Pregnancy and its unique physiological adaptations are affected by a decrease in the filtration capacity of the kidneys.Preeclampsia is a disorder of the vascular endothelium and is exacerbated by endothelial dysfunction resulting from CKD.Blood pressure targets must be strictly maintained owing to overlapping disease pathogenesis and to minimize cardiovascular damage.Moreover,preexisting renal dysfunction poses a challenge in identifying superimposed preeclampsia,which alters the management strategies in pregnancy.Fetal outcomes in patients with CKD are considerably affected by the presence of hypertension.This review is expected to aid in developing a focused and individualized treatment plan for hypertension in pregnant women with CKD to improve pregnancy outcomes and preserve postpartum renal function.

Effects of hypoxia on bone metabolism and anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND Abnormal bone metabolism and renal anemia seriously affect the prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD).Existing studies have mostly addressed the pathogenesis and treatment of bone metabolism abnormality and anemia in patients with CKD,but few have evaluated their mutual connection.Administration of exogenous erythropoietin to CKD patients with anemia used to be the mainstay of therapeutic approaches;however,with the availability of hypoxia-inducible factor(HIF)stabilizers such as roxadustat,more therapeutic choices for renal anemia are expected in the future.However,the effects posed by the hypoxic environment on both CKD complications remain incompletely understood.AIM To summarize the relationship between renal anemia and abnormal bone metabolism,and to discuss the influence of hypoxia on bone metabolism.METHODS CNKI and PubMed searches were performed using the key words“chronic kidney disease,”“abnormal bone metabolism,”“anemia,”“hypoxia,”and“HIF”to identify relevant articles published in multiple languages and fields.Reference lists from identified articles were reviewed to extract additional pertinent articles.Then we retrieved the Abstract and Introduction and searched the results from the literature,classified the extracted information,and summarized important information.Finally,we made our own conclusions.RESULTS There is a bidirectional relationship between renal anemia and abnormal bone metabolism.Abnormal vitamin D metabolism and hyperparathyroidism can affect bone metabolism,blood cell production,and survival rates through multiple pathways.Anemia will further attenuate the normal bone growth.The hypoxic environment regulates bone morphogenetic protein,vascular endothelial growth factor,and neuropilin-1,and affects osteoblast/osteoclast maturation and differentiation through bone metabolic changes.Hypoxia preconditioning of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)can enhance their paracrine effects and promote fracture healing.Concurrently,hypoxia reduces the inhibitory effect on osteocyte differentiation by inhibiting the expression of fibroblast growth factor 23.Hypoxia potentially improves bone metabolism,but it still carries potential risks.The optimal concentration and duration of hypoxia remain unclear.CONCLUSION There is a bidirectional relationship between renal anemia and abnormal bone metabolism.Hypoxia may improve bone metabolism but the concentration and duration of hypoxia remain unclear and need further study.

Arterial stiffness, vascular calcification and bone metabolism in chronic kidney disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease （CKD） have an extremely poor cardiovascular outcome. Arterial stiff-ness, a strong independent predictor of survival in CKD, is connected to arterial media calcification. A huge number of different factors contribute to the increased arterial calcification and stiffening in CKD, a process which is in parallel with impaired bone metabolism. This coincidence was demonstrated to be part of the direct inhibition of calcifcation in the vessels, which is a counterbalancing effect but also leads to low bone turnover. Due to the growing evidence, the defnition of “CKD mineral bone disorder” was created recently, un-derlining the strong connection of the two phenomena. In this review, we aim to demonstrate the mechanisms leading to increased arterial stiffness and the up-to date data of the bone-vascular axis in CKD. We over-view a list of the different factors, including inhibitors of bone metabolism like osteoprotegerin, fetuin-A, pyro-phosphates, matrix Gla protein, osteopontin, fbroblast growth factor 23 and bone morphogenic protein, which seem to play role in the progression of vascular calcif-cation and we evaluate their connection to impaired ar-terial stiffness in the mirror of recent scientifc results.

Andrias davidianus bone peptides alleviates hyperuricemia-induced kidney damage in vitro and in vivo

Hyperuricemia(HUA)is a vital risk factor for chronic kidney diseases(CKD)and development of functional foods capable of protecting CKD is of importance.This paper aimed to explore the amelioration effects and mechanism of Andrias davidianus bone peptides(ADBP)on HUA-induced kidney damage.In the present study,we generated the standard ADBP which contained high hydrophobic amino acid and low molecular peptide contents.In vitro results found that ADBP protected uric acid(UA)-induced HK-2 cells from damage by modulating urate transporters and antioxidant defense.In vivo results indicated that ADBP effectively ameliorated renal injury in HUA-induced CKD mice,evidenced by a remarkable decrease in serum UA,creatinine and blood urea nitrogen,improving kidney UA excretion,antioxidant defense and histological kidney deterioration.Metabolomic analysis highlighted 14 metabolites that could be selected as potential biomarkers and attributed to the amelioration effects of ADBP on CKD mice kidney dysfunction.Intriguingly,ADBP restored the gut microbiome homeostasis in CKD mice,especially with respect to the elevated helpful microbial abundance,and the decreased harmful bacterial abundance.This study demonstrated that ADBP displayed great nephroprotective effects,and has great promise as a food or functional food ingredient for the prevention and treatment of HUA-induced CKD.

Impact of bisphosphonate treatment on bone mineral density after kidney transplant

BACKGROUND Mineral bone disease is associated with chronic kidney disease and persists after kidney transplantation.Immunosuppressive treatment contributes to the patho-genesis of this disease.Bisphosphonate treatments have shown positive but inde-finite results.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bisphosphonate treatment on post kidney transplantation bone mineral density(BMD).METHODS We included kidney transplant recipients(KTRs)whose BMD was measured after the operation but before the initiation of treatment and their BMD was measured at least one year later.We also evaluated the BMD of KTRs using two valid mea-surements after transplantation who received no treatment(control group).RESULTS Out of 254 KTRs,62(39 men)were included in the study.Bisphosphonates were initiated in 35 KTRs in total(20 men),1.1±2.4 years after operation and for a period of 3.9±2.3 years while 27(19 men)received no treatment.BMD improved significantly in KTRs who received bisphosphonate treatments(from-2.29±1.07 to-1.66±1.09,P<0.0001).The control group showed a non-significant decrease in BMD after 4.2±1.4 years of follow-up after surgery.Kidney function was not affected by bisphosphonate treatment.In KTRs with established osteoporosis,active treatment had a similar and significant effect on those with osteopenia or normal bone mass.CONCLUSION In this retrospective study of KTRs receiving bisphosphonate treatment,we showed that active treatment is effective in preventing bone loss irrespective of baseline BMD.

Receptor activator of nuclear factorκB ligand/osteoprotegerin axis and vascular calcifications in patients with chronic kidney disease

Vascular calcifications are commonly observed in patients with chronic kidney disease （CKD） and contri-bute to the excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates observed in these patients populations. Although the pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet fully elucidated, recent evidence suggests a link between bone metabolism and the development and progression of vascular calcifications. Moreover, accumulating data indicate that receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand/osteoprotegerin axis which plays essential roles in the regulation of bone metabolism is also involved in extra-osseous bone formation. Further studies are required to establish the prognostic significance of the above biomarkers as predictors of the presence and severity of vascular calcifications in CKD patients and of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Moreover, randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify whether inhibition of osteoclast activity will protect from vascular calcifcations.

Psychological Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease and Hemodialysis: Narrative Review

Background:Chronic kidney disease(CKD)patients undergo hemodialysis to treat their condition.But this treatment comes with its own set of problems like psychiatric and mental disorders.Many of these patients experience low self-esteem,stress,depression,and anxiety,making it difficult to cope with their disease.CKD is a global general medical issue.Psychiatric disorders have been reported in more than 50% of end-stage kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis.Unfortunately,their attending doctors and nurses often overlook these psychological problems.Furthermore,the non-psychiatric medication prescribed may not help alleviate the symptoms of emotional distress.Objective:The article aimed to explore and review the literature concerning the psychological impact of CKD and hemodialysis on patients with CKD.Method:A literature review based on previous studies and assessments derived from international databases(PubMed,Medline and Scopus)related to people's psychological problems with CKD.The data collection was conducted from 24 November 2021 to 10 February 2022.Also,was used keywords such as hemodialysis,kidney failure,psychological disorders or factors,economic status,social status,and quality of life.Conclusion:Psychiatric disorders in patients with CKD and undergoing hemodialysis are ignored,negatively impacting their quality of life.Awareness of CKD is lacking among physicians and general public health because the worldwide burden increases.The disease's complexity and chronic nature affect patients'quality of life with CKD and their health.Therefore,nephrology nurses play an essential role in ensuring effective nursing intervention and psychological support of patients with CKD during hemodialysis therapy.

Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs associated with chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder

The purpose of this study is to characterize a meta-signature of differentially expressed mRNA in chronic kidney disease （CKD） to predict putative microRNA （miRNA） in CKD-mineral bone disorder （CKD- MBD） and confirm the changes in these genes and miRNA expression under uremic conditions by using a cell culture system. PubMed searches using MeSH terms and keywords related to CKD, uremia, and mRNA arrays were conducted. Through a computational analysis, a meta-signature that characterizes the significant intersection of differentially expressed mRNA and expected miRNAs associated with CKD-MBD was determined. Additionally, changes in gene and miRNA expressions under uremic conditions were confirmed with human Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells. A statistically significant mRNA meta-signature of upregulated and downregulated mRNA levels was identified. Furthermore, miRNA expression profiles were inferred, and computational anaIyses were performed with the imputed mieroRNA regulation based on weighted ranked expression and putative microRNA targets （IMRE） method to identify miRNAs associated with CKD occurrence. TLR4 and miR-146b levels were significantly associated with CKD-MBD. TLR4 levels were significantly downregulated, whereas pri- miR-146b and miR-146b were upregulated in the presence of uremic toxins in human Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells. Differentially expressed miRNAs associated with CKD-MBD were identified through a computational analysis, and changes in gene and miRNA expressions were confirmed with an in vitro cell culture system.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders,mental health,genetic susceptibility,and incident chronic kidney disease

Background:Whether functional gastrointestinal disorders(FGIDs)are associated with the long-term risk of chronic kidney disease(CKD)remains unclear.We aimed to investigate the prospective association of FGIDs with CKD and examine whether mental health mediated the association.Methods:About 416,258 participants without a prior CKD diagnosis enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010 were included.Participants with FGIDs(including irritable bowel syndrome[IBS],dyspepsia,and other functional intestinal disorders[FIDs;mainly composed of constipation])were the exposure group,and non-FGID participants were the non-exposure group.The primary outcome was incident CKD,ascertained from hospital admission and death registry records.A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to investigate the association between FGIDs and CKD,and the mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediation proportions of mental health.Results:At baseline,33,156(8.0%)participants were diagnosed with FGIDs,including 21,060(5.1%),8262(2.0%),and 6437(1.6%)cases of IBS,dyspepsia,and other FIDs,respectively.During a mean follow-up period of 12.1 years,11,001(2.6%)participants developed CKD.FGIDs were significantly associated with a higher risk of incident CKD compared to the absence of FGIDs(hazard ratio[HR],1.36;95%confidence interval[CI],1.28-1.44).Similar results were observed for IBS(HR,1.27;95%CI,1.17-1.38),dyspepsia(HR,1.30;95%CI,1.17-1.44),and other FIDs(HR,1.60;95%CI,1.43-1.79).Mediation analyses suggested that the mental health score significantly mediated 9.05%of the association of FGIDs with incident CKD and 5.63-13.97%of the associations of FGID subtypes with CKD.Specifically,the positive associations of FGIDs and FGID subtypes with CKD were more pronounced in participants with a high genetic risk of CKD.Conclusion:Participants with FGIDs had a higher risk of incident CKD,which was partly explained by mental health scores and was more pronounced in those with high genetic susceptibility to CKD.

Vascular calcification,bone and mineral metabolism after kidney transplantation

The development of end stage renal failure can be seen as a catastrophic health event and patients with this condition are considered at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease among any other patient groups and risk categories. Although kidney transplantation was hailed as an optimal solution to such devastating disease, many issues related to immune-suppressive drugs soon emerged and it became evident that cardiovascular disease would remain a vexing problem. Progression of chronic kidney disease is accompanied by profound alterations of mineral and bone metabolism that are believed to have an impact on the cardiovascular health of patients with advanced degrees of renal failure. Cardiovascular risk factors remain highly prevalent after kidney transplantation, some immune-suppression drugs worsen the risk profile of graft recipients and the alterations of mineral and bone metabolism seen in end stage renal failure are not completely resolved. Whether this complex situation promotes progression of vascular calcification, a hall-mark of advanced chronic kidney disease, and whether vascular calcifications contribute to the poor cardiovascular outcome of post-transplant patients is reviewed in this article.

Mineral and Bone Disorder and Its Association with Cardiovascular Parameters in Chinese Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background：Mineral and bone disorder （MBD）,especially hyperphosphatemia,is an independently risk factor for adverse prognosis in patients with chronic kidney disease （CKD）.However,CKD-MBD among Chinese population was poorly studied.This study aimed to investigate the status of MBD and its association with cardiovascular parameters in Chinese patients with predialysis CKD.Methods：Chinese Cohort Study of Chronic Kidney Disease （C-STRIDE） is a prospective multicenter cohort study involving predialysis CKD patients in China.Markers of MBD,including serum phosphorus,calcium,and intact parathyroid hormone,were measured in baseline samples at the patients＆#39; entry.The association between serum phosphorus and abdominal aortic calcification （AAC）,left ventricular hypertrophy （LVH） were examined by logistic regression models.Results：Altogether 3194 predialysis patients with mean estimated glomerular filtration of 51.8 ± 33.1 ml·min^- 1· 1.73 m^- 2 were included.The proportion of patients with hyperphosphatemia were 2.6%,2.9%,6.8%,and 27.1% in CKD Stages 3a,3b,4,and 5,respectively.Moreover,71.6% of the patients with hyperphosphatemia did not receive any phosphate-binder （PB）.Lateral abdominal X-rays were obtained in 2280 patients,9.8% of the patients were diagnosed as having AAC.Altogether 2219 patients had data of echocardiography,and 13.2% of them were diagnosed with LVH.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum phosphorus was independently associated with the presence of AAC and LVH.Conclusions：In Chinese patients with CKD,the percentage of hyperphosphatemia is comparable to that of other countries while the usage of PBs is suboptimal.The prevalence of vascular calcification in Chinese patients is relatively lower compared with the Caucasian population.

The Spectrum of Nail Disorders in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Conservative Treatment: A Case-Control Study

Objective:Various nail disorders have been reported in patients with chronic kidney disease.However,few studies have investigated nail disorders in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease.This study focused on nail disorders seen in patients with end-stage renal disease(ESRD)undergoing conservative treatment.Methods:A case-control study was conducted at Baraha Medical City in Khartoum State,Sudan.Data on patients with ESRD who were on conservative treatment and presented for follow-up between March and September 2021 were collected.Patients’demographic features,nail findings on clinical examination,and laboratory results were recorded.The obtained data were compared with those on age-and sex-matched healthy individuals from the general population.The chi-square test and Student t test were performed to analyze categorical and numerical variables,respectively.Results:Data on 78 patients with ESRD were studied.Their mean age was 54.6±17.6 years,and 45(57.7%)were men.These patients were compared with 129 controls.Nail disorders were seen in 65(83.3%)ESRD patients and 86(66.6%)controls(P=0.009).Patients with ESRD were found to be at increased relative risk of developing a wide spectrum of nail disorders.An absent lunula,half-and-half nails,nail dystrophy,Terry’s nails,onychomycosis,and koilonychia were the most common disorders and were seen in 44(56.4%),13(16.7%),10(12.8%),9(11.5%),6(7.7%),and 5(6.4%)patients,respectively.Patients with ESRD had a statistically significant risk of developing above diseases(all P<0.05).Conclusion:The current study demonstrated a wide spectrum of nail disorders in patients with ESRD undergoing conservative treatment.Further studies are essential to understand their pathogenesis.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 and bone mineralisation

Fibroblast growth factor 23 （FGF23） is a hormone that is mainly secreted by osteocytes and osteoblasts in bone. The critical role of FGF23 in mineral ion homeostasis was first identified in human genetic and acquired rachitic diseases and has been further characterised in animal models. Recent studies have revealed that the levels of FGF23 increase significantly at the very early stages of chronic kidney disease （CKD） and may play a critical role in mineral ion disorders and bone metabolism in these patients. Our recent publications have also shown that FGF23 and its cofactor, Klotho, may play an independent role in directly regulating bone mineralisation instead of producing a systematic effect. In this review, we will discuss the new role of FGF23 in bone mineralisation and the pathophysiology of CKD-related bone disorders.

Type 2 diabetes and bone fragility in children and adults

Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a global epidemic disease.The prevalence of T2D in adolescents and young adults is increasing alarmingly.The mechanisms leading to T2D in young people are similar to those in older patients.However,the severity of onset,reduced insulin sensitivity and defective insulin secretion can be different in subjects who develop the disease at a younger age.T2D is associated with different complications,including bone fragility with consequent susceptibility to fractures.The purpose of this systematic review was to describe T2D bone fragility together with all the possible involved pathways.Numerous studies have reported that patients with T2D show preserved,or even increased,bone mineral density compared with controls.This apparent paradox can be explained by the altered bone quality with increased cortical bone porosity and compromised mechanical properties.Furthermore,reduced bone turnover has been described in T2D with reduced markers of bone formation and resorption.These findings prompted different researchers to highlight the mechanisms leading to bone fragility,and numerous critical altered pathways have been identified and studied.In detail,we focused our attention on the role of microvascular disease,advanced glycation end products,the senescence pathway,the Wnt/β-catenin pathway,the osteoprotegerin/receptor-activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand,osteonectin and fibroblast growth factor 23.The understanding of type 2 myeloid bone fragility is an important issue as it could suggest possible interventions for the prevention of poor bone quality in T2D and/or how to target these pathways when bone disease is clearly evident.

Parathyroid ultrasonography and bone metabolic profile of patients on dialysis with hyperparathyroidism

AIM To evaluate the parathyroid ultrasonography and define parameters that can predict poor response to treatment in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism due to renal failure.METHODS This cohort study evaluated 85 patients with chronic kidney disease stage V with parathyroid hormone levels above 800 pg/mL. All patients underwent ultrasonography of the parathyroids and the following parameters were analyzed: Demographic characteristics(etiology of chronic kidney disease, gender, age, dialysis vintage, vascular access, use of vitamin D), laboratory(calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, bone alkaline phosphatase), and the occurrence of bone changes, cardiovascular events and death. The χ~2 test were used to compare proportions or the Fisher exact test for small sample frequencies. Student t-test was used to detect differences between the two groups regarding continuous variables.RESULTS Fifty-three patients(66.4%) had parathyroid nodules with higher levels of parathyroid hormone, calcium and phosphorus. Sixteen patients underwent parathyroidectomy and had higher levels of phosphorus and calcium × phosphorus product(P = 0.03 and P = 0.006, respectively). They also had lower mortality(32% vs 68%, P = 0.01) and lower incidence of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events(27% vs 73%, P = 0.02). Calcium × phosphorus product above 55 mg^2/dL^2 [RR 1.48(1.06, 2.08), P = 0.03], presence of vascular calcification [1.33(1.01, 1.76), P = 0.015] and previous occurrence of vascular events [RR 2.25(1.27, 3.98), P < 0.001] were risk factors for mortality in this population. There was no association between the occurrence of nodules and mortality.CONCLUSION The identification of nodules at ultrasonography strengthens the indication for parathyroidectomy in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism due to renal failure.

The Research Progression of Calcitonin for the Therapy of Renal Osteodystrophy

Calcitonin is a common medicine used in the treatment of osteoporosis,which could restrain the activity of osteoclasts,stop the loss of osteocalcin and reduce the transfer of osteocalcin.Calcitonin can also be used in the treatment of the pain-caused diseases which usually cause by hypercalcemia and others such like Paget's disease and bone tumors.As is approved by several clinic researches,calcitonin is powerful in adjusting the level of calcium,phosphorus and PTH during the treatment of renal osteodystrophy.In addition,it could improves the life quality of the patients who suffered from chronic kidney disease(CKD)and extending their life period.At present,several studies have shown us Calcitonin could be treated in renal osteodystrophy.However,the treatment experiences of Calcitonin are still lacking.Better understanding of the clinical evaluation for calcitonin in the treatment of renal osteodystrophy will hopefully help us to improve outcomes for these patients.