Vascular calcification has now been recognized as a major problem in dialysis patients because of its strong influence on the prognosis. Along with the regulatory failure of calcification-inhibitory system, active phenotypic change of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to osteoblast-like cells is also involved in the progression of vascular calcification. Delaying or improving the vascular ca...

Chitosan and alkalinizing agents can decrease morbidity and mortality in humans with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether this holds true in dog is not known. Objective of the study was to determine whether a commercial dietary supplement containing chitosan, phosphate binders, and alkalinizing agents (Renal), compared to placebo, reduces mortality rate due to uremic crises in dogs with sponta...

In 2003, more than 320,000 people in the United States were receiving dialysis for ESRD, with predicted increases to 650,000 by 2010 and 2 million by 2030. Mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with ESRD is 10 to 30 times higher than in the general population. The exact mechanism of accelerated CVD in patients with kidney disease is unknown. Treatment costs for ESRD are in exc...

INTRODUCTION Patients on hemodialysis require phosphate binders to reduce dietary phosphate absorption and control serum phosphate. The standard therapy, calcium salts, can be associated with elevated serum calcium (hypercalcemia). Concern has been raised that hypercalcemia, especially combined with elevated serum phosphate, may be associated with arterial calcification, and this may contribute...