Bone Disease in Chronic Kidney Failure(CRF)

More than 90 percent of patients, who have Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF) and are receiving dialysis, suffers from bone disease called renal osteodystrophy. In recent 30 years, the development of blood purification technology has effectively helped the CFK patients prolong their life expectancy, but the incidence of bone disease is still very high.

Why is the incidence of bone disease caused by chronic kidney disease so high?

One cause lies in the kidney’s inability to monitor calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood and convert vitamin D to its active form which is necessary for the absorption of calcium. The other cause is that dialysis which is chosen by most CKF patients to prolong their life can make aluminium get into their body, and then the aluminium will be absorbed by the intestines and rapidly transported into bone, where it disrupts mineralization and bone cell growth and activity. In view of these two causes, bone disease happens easily.

How can the patients know what type of bone disease he has?

It can help the patients know what type of bone disease he has through a physical examination and a certain test. In some cases, a bone biopsy involves taking a small sample of the bone and checking it under a microscope. These tests can help to determine the type of bone diseases.

What treatment is effective for CKD patients’ bone disease?

According to the patients’ condition, their treatments may include one or more of the following treatments:

1. Control high blood phosphorus

· reduce the amount of phosphorus that you eat

· use low calcium dialysate to make the phosphorus cleared more fully

· the application of phosphorus binders such as Calcium Acetate

2. Increase the calcium supplement appropriately

3. Take medication with the active form of Vitamin D

4. Change your dialysate which contains low aluminium

5. Do a surgery to cut off the parathyroid

6. Accept other treatment such as Chinese medicine

Summary

Not every patient with Chronic Kidney Disease will suffer from bone disease, but if you are one, an exact test and a proper treatment can help you to remit your disease condition.