Vitamin D supplementation in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: A systematic review

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a variety of skeletal, cardiometabolic, and immunologic co-morbidities that are present in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We performed a systematic review to investigate the effects of vitamin D supplementation, in the form of ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol, on various health outcomes in early CKD. Seventeen clinical trials were identified, only two of which were randomized, placebo controlled trials. The majority of studies supplementing with > 2,000 IU/day of cholecalciferol achieved optimal vitamin D status, whereas studies supplementing with ergocalciferol were less consistent. Studies varied widely in their effects on lowering serum parathyroid hormone concentrations. Few studies investigated effects of vitamin D treatment on other clinical health indicators in early CKD. Rigorous studies are necessary to investigate optimal vitamin D dosing strategies in early CKD for the maintenance of adequate vitamin D status, management of secondary hyperparathyroidism and improvement of non-skeletal related clinical outcomes.