Management of renal osteodystrophy in children

Prevention and treatment of renal osteodystrophy (ROD) are great challenges for pediatric nephrologists. The strategies for prevention and treatment of ROD in children with chronic renal failure (CRF) should be created on an individual basis. The following factors should be considered: age, type of primary disease, rate of progression of CRF, nutrition, acidosis, type of dialysis, and drugs (corticosteroids, growth hormone, etc). The treatment should start very early in the course of renal insufficiency with close monitoring of serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and parathormone (PTH) levels. Maintenance of serum phosphate within age- appropriate limits is essential for prevention of secondary hyperparathyroidism. PTH levels should be kept within normal limits in predialysis children and 2-3 times over upper normal limit in those on dialysis. Aggressive treatment with calcium-based phosphate binders and vitamin D derivates should be avoided to prevent PTH oversuppression and development of adynamic bone disease. The advantage in this respect is the development of calcium- and aluminum-free phosphate binders, of which there is limited pediatric experience with sevelamer hydrochloride. Paricalcitol is a non-hypercalcemic vitamin D analogue, and preliminary favorable experience has been reported in children. Calcimimetics like cinacalcet hydrochloride, which directly stimulate calcium sensing receptor and potently suppress PTH secretion without increasing plasma calcium in adults, are very promising agents, but pediatric experience is lacking.