Hyporesponsiveness or resistance to the action of parathyroid hormone in chronic kidney disease

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is an integral component of the chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). Many factors have been associated with the development and progression of SHPT but the presence of skeletal or calcemic resistance to the action of PTH in CKD has often gone unnoticed. The term hyporesponsiveness to PTH is currently preferred and, in this chapter, we will not only review the scientific timeline but also some of the molecular mechanisms behind. Moreover, the presence of resistance to the biological action of PTH is not unique in CKD since resistance to other hormones has also been described ("uremia as a receptor disease"). This hyporesponsiveness carries out important clinical implications since it explains, at least partially, not only the progressive nature of the pathogenesis of CKD-related PTH hypersecretion and parathyroid hyperplasia but also the increasing prevalence of adynamic bone disease in the CKD population. Therefore, we underline the importance of PTH control in all CKD stages, but not aiming to completely normalize PTH levels since a certain degree of SHPT may represent an adaptive clinical response. Future studies at the molecular level, i.e. on uremia, or the recent description of the calcium-sensing receptor as a phosphate sensor, may become of great value beyond their significance to explain just the hyporesponsiveness to PTH in CKD.

Changes in Bone Histomorphometry after Kidney Transplantation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Over the past decade, the management of CKD-mineral and bone disorder has changed substantially, altering the pattern of bone disease in CKD. We aimed to evaluate the natural history of kidney bone disease in contemporary kidney transplant recipients and patients on dialysis.

DESIGN, SETTINGS, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

Sixty one patients on dialysis who were referred to kidney transplantation participated in this prospective cohort study during November 2009 and December 2010. We performed baseline bone biopsies while the patients were on dialysis and repeated the procedure in 56 patients at 2 years after kidney transplantation or 2 years after baseline if transplantation was not performed. Measurements of mineral metabolism and bone turnover, as well as dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans, were obtained concurrently.

RESULTS

A total of 37 out of 56 participants received a kidney transplant, of which 27 underwent successful repeat bone biopsy. The proportion of patients with high bone turnover declined from 63% at baseline to 19% at 2 years after kidney transplantation, whereas the proportion of those with low bone turnover increased from 26% to 52%. Of 19 participants remaining on dialysis after 2 years, 13 underwent successful repeat biopsy. The proportion of patients remaining on dialysis with high bone turnover decreased from 69% to 31%, and low bone turnover increased from 8% to 38%. Abnormal bone mineralization increased in transplant recipients from 33% to 44%, but decreased in patients remaining on dialysis from 46% to 15%. Trabecular bone volume showed little change after transplantation, but low bone volume increased in patients remaining on dialysis. Bone mineral density did not correlate with histomorphometric findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Bone turnover decreased over time both in patients remaining on dialysis and in kidney transplant recipients. Bone mineral density and bone biomarkers were not associated with bone metabolism changes detected in bone biopsy specimens.

Calcium-Sensing Receptor Genotype and Response to Cinacalcet in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

We tested the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) alter the response to the calcimimetic cinacalcet.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

We analyzed DNA samples in the Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) trial, a randomized trial comparing cinacalcet to placebo on a background of usual care. Of the 3883 patients randomized, 1919 (49%) consented to DNA collection, and samples from 1852 participants were genotyped for 18 CASR polymorphisms. The European ancestry (EA; n=1067) and African ancestry (AfAn; n=405) groups were assessed separately. SNPs in CASR were tested for their association with biochemical measures of mineral metabolism at baseline, percent change from baseline to 20 weeks, and risk of clinical fracture as dependent variables.

RESULTS

There were modest associations of CASR SNPs with increased baseline serum parathyroid hormone and bone alkaline phosphatase primarily with the minor allele in the EA group (all P≤0.03), but not in the AfAn sample. In contrast, there was a modest association of decreased baseline serum calcium and FGF23 with CASR SNPs (P=0.04) primarily with the minor allele in the AfAn but not in the EA sample. The minor allele of two SNPs was associated with decreased percent reduction in parathyroid hormone from baseline to 20 weeks in the EA population (P<0.04) and this was not altered with cinacalcet. In both EA and AfAn, the same SNP (rs9740) was associated with decreased calcium with cinacalcet treatment (EA and AfAn P≤0.03). Three SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium were associated with a higher risk of clinical fracture that was attenuated by cinacalcet treatment in the EA sample (P<0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

These modest associations, if validated, may provide explanations for differences in CKD-mineral bone disorder observed in EA and AfAn populations, and for differential biochemical responses to calcimimetics.