Treatment with oral paricalcitol in daily clinical practice for patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3–4: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND: Active vitamin D is an effective treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients often complicated by hypercalcaemia and hyperphosphataemia. Treatment with paricalcitol, a selective vitamin D receptor activator, has shown benefits by adequately reducing parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels with minimal changes in serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). The purpose of this study is to present data on the use of oral paricalcitol in real-life clinical practice in patients with CKD stage 3–4 and SHPT. METHODS: We studied 43 patients, M/F: 25/18, median age: 74 years (47–87), CKD stage 3/4: 16/27, with SHPT, who were prescribed oral paricalcitol at recommended doses for 6 months. Monthly measurements of serum intact PTH (iPTH), Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), haemoglobin, albumin (ALB), lipid profile, proteinuria and 24-h urine creatinine clearance were performed 3 months before and 6 months after treatment initiation. RESULTS: Paricalcitol induced a significant, early and sustained, through the end of follow-up period, decrease in iPTH and ALP levels and an increase in serum ALB. No significant increase in Ca and P levels as well as in Ca × P product was observed during the study period. No significant changes were found in protein excretion, kidney function and the other measured parameters between baseline and last evaluation. Paricalcitol final median dose was 5 μg/week ranging between 3 and 7 μg/week. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of real-life clinical practice, oral paricalcitol for 6 months is an effective, well-tolerated treatment of SHPT in CKD stage 3–4 with minimal effects on calcium and phosphorus metabolism.