Paricalcitol in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism and its potential benefits

Table 1 Dose adjustment criteria for paricalcitol injection

iPTH level compared with baseline	Dose adjustment of paricalcitol
Not reaching the standard, unchanged or increased; or decreased by < 30%	Increase dose by 2-4 μg
When 150-300 pg/mL or iPTH down by ≥ 30%	Maintain original dose
When iPTH < 150 pg/mL or serum Ca > 11.0 mg/mL or Ca × P product > 70 mg2/dL2	Decrease dose by 2-4 μg

Ca: Calcium; iPTH: Intact parathyroid hormone; P: Phosphate.

Table 2 Demographics and baseline features of 40 patients

Variable	Patients
Age in yr	49.10 ± 12.86
Sex
Male	23 (57.5%)
Female	17 (42.5%)
Duration in mo of dialysis	55.20 ± 29.32
Weekly dose of paricalcitol in g/wk	12.38 ± 2.77
iPTH in pg/mL	888.84 ± 376.88
ALP in IU/L	133.45 ± 56.86
Blood P in mmol/L	2.16 ± 0. 66
Blood Ca in mmol/L	2.38 ± 0.16
Ca P product in mg2/dL2	63.97 ± 20.30
Hb in g/L	114.82 ± 20.45
Cre in mol/L	807.43 ± 254.64
CRP in mg/L	8.60 ± 16.76

Ca: Calcium; Cre: Creatinine; CRP: C-reactive protein; Hb: Hemoglobin; iPTH: Intact parathyroid hormone; P: Phosphate.

Table 3 Changes in hemoglobin, creatinine and C-reactive protein levels over time

Time	Hb in g/L	t	P value	Cre in mol/L	t	P value	CRP in mg/L	t	P value
Baseline	114.82 ± 20.45			807.43 ± 254.64			8.60 ± 16.76
Week 4	109.69 ± 19.78	1.530	0.131	749.67 ± 398.06	1.062	0.292	7.13 ± 10.71	0.642	0.523
Week 12	111.47 ± 21.11	0.967	0.337	586.40 ± 358.51	4.326	0.000	7.72 ± 4.98	0.486	0.629
Week 24	116.21 ± 23.50	0.380	0.705	803.27 ± 192.31	0.112	0.911	8.23 ± 14.82	0.206	0.838

Hb: Hemoglobin; Cre: Creatinine; CRP: C-reactive protein.