1996 Volume 29 Issue 7 Pages 1123-1129
To determine the clinical significance of serum 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1, 25D), we investigated the relationships between serum 1, 25D and serum calcium and bone mineral density in 71 hemodialysis patients, 50 of whom were treated with 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 (1αD) while all other patients were not treated with vitamin D3. A positive correlation was observed between serum 1, 25D and serum calcium, especially in the low intact-PTH (<100pg/ml) group. In 10 patients in whom the doses of 1αD were changed, a positive correlation was observed between changes in serum 1, 25D and changes in serum calcium. No relationship was found between serum 1, 25D and bone mineral density at the distal radius measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were divided into 4 groups by intact-PTH (100pg/ml) and serum 1, 25D (15pg/ml). The bone mineral density was generally well preserved in the group with low PTH and low 1, 25D. In conclusion, serum calcium correlated with serum 1, 25D and we could not attain normal serum levels of 1, 25D without hypercalcemia. No relationship between serum 1, 25D and bone mineral density at the distal radius was found. Higher levels of serum 1, 25D are not necessarily related to well preserved bone mineral density.
