The value of randomized trials as the optimal method for determining benefits health care interventions in clinical practice has been highlighted repeatedly during current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Despite being considered an “academic specialty,” nephrology lags behind its internal medicine counterparts conduct high-quality trials. As a result, many treatments used routine (e.g., phos...

INTRODUCTION Therapy with vitamin D3 analogs suppress the parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients suffering from secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT). The concurrent administration of calcium-containing phosphate binders further increases the likelihood of developing hypercalcemia. Calcimimetics, such as cinacalcet, lower PTH level while limiting the risks o...

With respect to the DCOR study, its duration was limited to 3 years. Note that in the follow-up study of the RIND population [3], no survival difference was apparent at this time point, but that it rather took >5 years to show a benefit of avoiding calcium-containing phosphate binders in this admittedly small study. Furthermore, a 49% dropout in DCOR by the end of the study renders any interpre...

This study investigated the effects of a combination of calcium and magnesium carbonate intestinal phosphate binders, associated with natural reno-protectant substances (the uraemic toxin binder chitosan, vasoactive peptides and an extract of Astragalus membranaceus) (Pronefra®, Virbac, France) on blood parameters and mineral balance in cats. Ten cats, 2 to 5 years old at day 0, were given the ...

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is associated with parathyroid gland hyperplasia, increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) production and secretion, disturbed bone and mineral metabolism, soft tissue calcification and an increased risk of death. The condition is an almost universal complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and currently is managed by treatment with phosphate binders and vi...

Sugar binding proteins and binders of intermediate sugar metabolites derived from microbes are increasingly being used as reagents in new and expanding areas of biotechnology. The fixation of carbon dioxide at emission source has recently emerged as a technology with potentially significant implications for environmental biotechnology. Carbon dioxide is fixed onto a five carbon sugar D-ribulose...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Hyperphosphatemia is recognized as contributing to the increased risk of cardiac death in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients. Currently available pharmacologic treatment for hyperphosphatemia is based on phosphate binders but, despite treatment, only half of the patients fall within the range for serum phosphorus of the K/DOQI guidelines. Therefore, th...

OBJECTIVE To assess serum calcium, phosphorus and PTH levels with reference to K/DOQI targets in haemodialysis patients at Rawalpindi. Further more efficacy of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was compared with calcium acetate (CaAc) for maintaining serum P and Ca levels in our ESRD patients. METHODS One hundred and ninety patients on haemodialysis receiving calcium phosphate binders (CaCO3 n = 128 ...