Learning Needs of Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure in Singapore: A Descriptive Correlational Study.

Background: Understanding the learning needs of patients with heart failure (HF) is important in reducing the incidence of HF-related hospital readmissions. Sociocultural differences are known to influence patient learning needs. However, most HF learning needs studies have been conducted on Western populations.

Doxercalciferol safely suppresses PTH levels in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic kidney disease stages 3 and 4.

Background: Calcitriol lowers parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 and 4, but its use is limited by a low therapeutic index and concerns regarding hypercalcemia and acceleration of kidney disease. We evaluated doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D2) as an alternative therapy in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial.

Methods: Fifty-five adults with stage 3 or 4 CKD and an intact PTH (iPTH) level greater than 85 pg/mL (ng/L) completed 8 baseline weeks, followed by 24 weeks of oral therapy with doxercalciferol or placebo.

A review of intravenous versus oral vitamin D hormone therapy in hemodialysis patients.

Background/methods: We examined 21 clinical trials (16 articles and 5 abstracts) that compared intravenous (i.v.) and oral vitamin D analogs for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients.

Prevention of metabolic bone disease in the pre-end-stage renal disease setting.

The methods for preventing hyperparathyroid bone disease, the major variety of renal osteodystrophy, from developing in patients with renal impairment are reviewed. With far-advanced chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance [CCr] < 15 to 20 ml/min), when many of these patients are seen by nephrologists, the use of diets very low in protein, and hence also very low in phosphorus content, combined with calcium-containing phosphate binders, have been shown to lower serum intact PTH levels and improve the osseous pathology. However, the degree of dietary restriction required to achieve success may be quite difficult to follow by most patients encountered in clinical practice.

HEMO equilibrated Kt/V goals are difficult to achieve in large male patients.

The long-term outcome of chronic hemodialysis patients is influenced by the adequacy of dialysis treatment. A major objective of the ongoing US HEMO Study is to determine if a higher target value of treatment as measured by the equilibrated Kt/V (eKt/V), a calculation of dialysis adequacy developed for the study, of 1.45 results in a better outcome than the presently accepted target value for eKt/V of 1.

Efficacy and side effects of intermittent intravenous and oral doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2)) in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism: a sequential comparison.

Most reports on the effectiveness and side effects of oral versus parenteral calcitriol or alfacalcidol in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism show no advantage of parenteral treatment. The efficacy and safety of intravenous doxercalciferol (1alphaD(2)) were studied in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (plasma intact parathyroid hormone [iPTH]: range, 266 to 3,644 pg/mL; median, 707 pg/mL). These results were compared with those of a previous trial using intermittent oral 1alphaD(2); the same 70 patients were entered onto both trials, and 64 patients completed both trials per protocol.

Intermittent doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2)) therapy for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia frequently necessitate vitamin D withdrawal in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. In short-term trials, doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2) [1alphaD(2)]) suppressed intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) effectively with minimal increases in serum calcium and phosphorus (P) levels. This modified, double-blinded, controlled trial examined the efficacy and safety of 1alphaD(2) use in 138 hemodialysis patients with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism by using novel dose titration; 99 patients completed the study.

Calcium-sensing receptor and calcimimetic agents.

Recognizing the role of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) in mineral metabolism greatly improves our understanding of calcium homeostasis. The biology of the low affinity, G-protein-coupled CaR and the effects of its activation in various tissues are reviewed. Physiological roles include regulation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion by small changes in ionized calcium (Ca2+) and control of urinary calcium excretion with small changes in blood Ca2+.