Renal bone disease in pediatric patients receiving treatment with maintenance peritoneal dialysis

The present review summarizes the characteristics of renal bone disease in pediatric patients treated with maintenance peritoneal dialysis. Fifty-eight patients underwent iliac crest bone biopsy after double tetracycline labeling, measurements of aluminum in bone and various serum biochemical determinations including serum PTH, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphorus and aluminum. Evidence of osteitis fibrosa was present in 45% of patients and mild lesions of secondary hyperparathyroidism were found in an additional 25%. Thus, secondary hyperparathyroidism remains the predominant bone lesion despite the use of oral calcitriol. Evidence of aluminum accumulation was substantially less prevalent, findings not surprising due to the widespread use of calcium carbonate as the main phosphate binder agent. However, aplastic bone lesion without aluminum staining was present in the majority of patients with low-turnover lesions of the bone without osteomalacic findings. The long-term evolution of such lesions remains to be evaluated. The potential value of alternative modes of calcitriol administration for the control of secondary hyperparathyroidism is discussed as well as the differences in the bioavailability of sterol according to the different routes for calcitriol administration.