title: [Vitamin D and survival of hemodialysis patients].
abstract: Vitamin D receptors are expressed not only in the classical target organs (bone, parathyroid glands, kidneys and intestine) but also in other non-classical targets including arteries, heart, immune system, endocrine organs, and nervous system. Therefore, the deficiency of active forms of vitamin D in uremia may explain various abnormalities in biological functions and survival disadvantage in this disease condition. Previous studies reported that treatment with vitamin D had beneficial effects on cardiac and immune functions in dialysis patients. A recent observational cohort study indicated that the mortality risk was different between the groups taking different types of vitamin D analogues. We found that patients on a low-dose oral alfacalcidol showed a significantly lower risk for cardiovascular death than those without vitamin D supplementation. Although these observations need further confirmation by randomized controlled studies, appropriate use of active forms of vitamin D may improve the outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000517:prevention & control; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D011379:Prognosis; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014807:Vitamin D; D002097:C-Reactive Protein