Will Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease Cause Hypocalcemia

Will stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) cause hypocalcemia? Chronic Kidney Disease with 5 stages refers to the progressive loss of kidney function. With the progression of CKD, many serious complications will be caused and hypocalcemia is just one of them. However, will CKD stage 3 be serious enough to cause hypocalcemia?

Hypocalcemia is the presence of low serum calcium levels in the blood (usually less than 2.1mmol/L or 9mg/dl). Actually, hypocalcemia caused by Chronic Kidney Disease is closely related with high phosphorus level. Normally, calcium and phosphorus are ingested through our diet and metabolized in our body. However, for kidney failure patients, their kidneys are no longer able to proper discharge phosphorus, leading to hyperphosphatemia which can cause decreased parathyroid function and metabolic disturbance of vitamin D and so on. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) secreted by Gley’s glands is responsible for adjust calcium level in the blood. Therefore, once parathyroid function is affected, metabolism of calcium becomes abnormal and low calcium level in the blood decreases. In addition, vitamin D plays an important part for the normal calcium level in the blood. Defective vitamin D metabolism makes our body becomes unable in adsorbing enough calcium, as a result of which, calcium concentration in the blood decreases.

Hypocalcemia is a complication of kidney failure, but it usually occurs when kidneys are unable to keep electrolyte balance. For CKD stage 3, the illness condition is usually not seriously enough to cause hypocalcemia. But it does not mean patients with CKD stage 3 will definitely not suffer from hypocalcemia. With hypocalcemia, patients are at high risk to develop convulsion, muscle cramp,bone pain, osteomalacia, tingling in the tongue, lips, fingers and feet, broken bone, and skin problem like dry skin, itching skin and so on.

Lastly, since hypocalcemia has close relationship with high phosphorus level, therefore, it is necessary for CKD stage 3 patients to avoid foods high in phosphorus and meanwhile eat more foods with high calcium.