Diseases of the parathyroid gland in chronic kidney disease

Abstract

During the past few years, remarkable advances have been made in the understanding and the management of parathyroid diseases in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). One of the important insights is the identification of fibroblastic growth factor 23, which has greatly reshaped our understanding of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). The recent introduction of calcimimetic cinacalcet hydrochloride has led to a major breakthrough in the management of SHPT. Recognition of circulating molecular forms of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is also a major milestone in the accurate assessment of parathyroid function in CKD. Primary hyperparathyroidism should also be considered in patients with CKD, because it can cause various renal manifestations and can also occur as a sporadic disease in these patients. Hypoparathyroidism is occasionally seen in dialysis patients in the setting of diabetes mellitus and malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome, as well as after parathyroidectomy for advanced SHPT. For patients with adynamic bone disease due to hypoparathyroidism and/or skeletal resistance to PTH, teriparatide, a PTH analog, may have potential for improving bone metabolism and reducing the risk of fracture. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on diseases of the parathyroid gland in CKD patients, with a particular focus on recent work in the field.