[Bone and joint problems in long-term dialysis]

Bone and joint pathology in patients undergoing long-term dialysis for end-stage renal failure is presented in the light of typical cases and a brief review of the literature. Osteomalacia with bone pain and fractures is caused mainly by aluminium overload due to enteral uptake from aluminium-containing phosphate binders. This is why calcium acetate or calcium carbonate should be used exclusively to lower enteral phosphate reabsorption. If--due to hypercalcemia--aluminium containing phosphate binders--cannot be entirely avoided, they should never be administered together with citrate (citrate-containing medication, fruit juice, etc.), which chelates aluminium and thereby massively increases enteral aluminium uptake. Secondary hyperparathyroidism with overt radiologically demonstrable bone disease develops in many patients on long-term dialysis despite efforts to maintain plasma calcium within or slightly above the upper normal range and concomitant treatment with calcitriol. Intravenous administration of relatively high-dose calcitriol or 1-alpha-OH-D3 (neither readily available at the present time), as well as the newly developed experimental vitamin D analogs such as 22-oxa-(OH)2-D3, which appear to suppress the parathyroid glands without increasing enteral calcium reabsorption, may in future reduce the high incidence of parathyroidectomy in patients on maintenance dialysis. beta 2-microglobulin amyloidosis is a new disease entity which develops in the majority of long-term dialysis patients. Apart from carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger fingers and tendon ruptures, it is associated with acute and chronic painful erosive arthropathy with joint effusions and fractures, particularly around the hip, due to cystic bone lesions where bone is replaced by nodular amyloid deposits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)