Effect of 1 alpha hydroxylated vitamin D on steroid induced calcium malabsorption

As persistent bone loss is a major problem of chronic steroid therapy the effects of 3 weeks therapy with 1 alpha hydroxycholecalciferol were studied in 10 kidney transplant recipients on chronic steroid therapy. Treatment resulted in a significant increase in intestinal calcium absorption, paralleled by a significant decrease of serum iPTH, whereas neither plasma calcium nor urinary calcium excretion rose significantly, suggesting a positive calcium balance throughout the study. It is therefore suggested that administration of active vitamin D metabolites is an effective protection against one of the pathogenic mechanisms of steroid induced osteopenia.