Reno- and Vascular Protective Effect of a Vitamin-D-analogue in Moderate to Severe Chronic Kidney Disease

Reno- and Vascular Protective Effect of a Low-calcemic Vitamin-D-analogue (Paricalcitol) in Stage III-IV Chronic Kidney Disease

Recently it has been documented that vitamin D has important functions in the human body that are unrelated to its primary effects in calcium homeostasis and bone mineralization. In clinical studies, paricalcitol - a low-calcemic vitamin D analogue - has been shown to decrease proteinuria, a marker of disease progression and cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a paricalcitol on renal and cardiovascular variables in patients with moderate to severe CKD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Kidney disease corresponding to eGFR: 15-59 ml/min
• Albuminuria > 30 mg/l

Exclusion Criteria:

• Total parathyroidectomy
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Cancer
• Illicit drug or alcohol abuse
• Pregnancy og nursing
• Ongoing NSAID or corticosteroid treatment
• b-hemoglobin < 6 mmol/l
• p-albumin < 25 mmol/l
• Clinically significant hypercalcemia
• Office blood pressure > 170/105 mmHg that despite antihypertensive treatment still is > 170/105 mmHg when using home blood pressure measurements or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement.