Renal osteodystrophy: definition, nomenclature and classification
Disturbances of bone and mineral metabolism are a hallmark of chronic kidney disease
(CKD). Renal osteodystrophy (ROD) is the traditional term for bone lesions in conjunction
with CKD and is now considered a part of the ‘chronic kidney disease—mineral and bone
disorder’ (CKD-MBD) [1]. ROD comprises various subtypes with substantial differences
in aetiology and fundamental differences in treatment strategies. In long-term dialysis
patients the prevalence of some types of ROD is virtually 100% [2].
A simple, easy to apply but still sophisticated and comprehensive descriptive system
of ROD is the TMV system [1]. The TMV system comprises bone turnover (T), bone mineralization
(M) as well as bone volume (V). Bone turnover and bone volume may both be classified
as high, normal or low. Bone mineralization may be categorized as normal or abnormal.
As an alternative to volume, the bone balance may be considered [3,4].
Based on the above system, the NKF/KDOQI guidelines distinguish six types of bone
pathology in CKD-MBD (Table 1) (Figures 1 and 2). The focus on cancellous bone parameters
in this classification system has been questioned regarding the importance of cortical
bone quality for structural integrity [5]. Moreover, bone histomorphometric parameters
comprise a continuum, and categorization may be an oversimplified approach [5]. Nevertheless,
categorical CKD-MBD classification is helpful for clinical practice and widely used
as the basis for therapeutic decision making. In this review we will focus particularly
on adynamic bone disease (ABD), which is increasing in prevalence and, in many CKD
populations, now represents the most frequent type of bone lesion [6].
Table 1
NKF/KDOQI guidelinesa and renal osteodystrophy classification
Hyperparathyroid (high turnover) bone disease
Mixed (high turnover with mineralization defect) bone disease
Osteomalacia
Adynamic bone disease (ABD)
Additionally, two distinct causing agents for ROD are explicitly mentioned: amyloid
bone disease and aluminium bone disease
ahttp://www.kidney.org/professionals/KDOQI/guidelines_bone/index.htm.
What is ABD?
The term ‘aplastic’ or ‘adynamic’ bone disease was introduced in the early 1980s [7,8].
ABD is characterized by a low-bone turnover without osteoid accumulation, i.e. with
a thin osteoid seam. Both the rate of collagen synthesis by osteoblasts and the subsequent
mineralization of bone collagen are subnormal. The latter distinguishes ABD from the
second low-turnover form, i.e. osteomalacia, where a mineralization defect exceeds
the defects in bone formation, resulting in a relative osteoid excess [9,10]. In ABD,
there are few or no osteoblasts, and minimal or no peritrabecular fibrosis or marrow
fibrosis (in contrast to osteitis fibrosa). Especially the bone formation rate (BFR)
is substantially diminished and the number of remodelling sites is low [9].
Fig. 1
Mixed uraemic osteodystrophy: high resorptive activity, osteoid accumulation, peritrabecular
fibrosis (Goldner stain) (courtesy of Dr. G. Lehmann, Jena).
Fig. 2
Adynamic renal osteodystrophy: absence of cellular activity and osteoid, low cancellous
bone volume (osteopenia) (Goldner stain) (courtesy of Dr. G. Lehmann, Jena).
ABD in bone histomorphometry
The NKF-KDOQI guidelines suggest a number of histomorphometric parameters for the
classification of ROD (Table 2).
Table 2
Frequently applied histomorphometric parameters and normal levels according to K/DOQI
Parameter
Normal level
(1)
Bone volume relative to total tissue volume
16–23%
(2)
Osteoid thickness
4–20 μm
(3)
Osteoid surface relative to total bone surface
1–39%
(4)
Osteoblast surface relative to total bone surface
0.2–10%
(5)
Osteoclast surface relative to total bone surface
0.15–1.2%
(6)
Activation frequencya
0.49–0.72/year
(7)
Fibrosis volume relative to total tissue volume
Absent (%)
(8)
Mineralization lag time
<50 days
ABD is diagnosed in the presence of subnormal values in criteria 2–6 in the absence
of fibrosis.
aSee the text for comment.
Bone turnover may be assessed by the activation frequency or by BFR [3]. The activation
frequency is defined as the reciprocal of the total remodelling time. The latter is
the net result of bone resorption, reversal, formation and quiescent periods. Therefore,
the activation frequency assesses both osteoclast (resorption) and osteoblast (formation)
activity [11,12]. In contrast, BFR focuses only on osteoblast activity [11,13]. However,
in ROD the correlation between these two parameters of bone turnover is excellent
(r = 0.95 in dialysis and r = 0.97 in predialysis patients) [12] and both the activation
frequency and BFR may be used for assessment of bone turnover.
Especially bone turnover, fibrosis quantification and bone mineralization assessment
are required to differentiate between hyperparathyroid bone disease, osteomalacia
and mixed and adynamic bone disease. Many previously published ROD studies thus rely
on three histomorphometric parameters: BFR (μm2/mm2/day), osteoid accumulation (%)
and the presence or absence of fibrosis [13–22]. For example, based on these three
parameters, normal histology was defined as the absence of fibrosis, osteoid volume
<12%, and BFR >97 but <613 μm2/mm2/day [16]. However, cut-off levels are inconstant.
Concerning BFR, cut-off levels varying from 97 to 108 μm2/mm2/day have been applied
to separate normal from low bone turnover. Other studies used one standard deviation
below normal levels, or <5% of normal levels, to define adynamic BFR [13–23]. Similarly,
cut-off levels for osteoid volume separating osteomalacia from ABD vary from 12% [16,21]
to 15%, [13–15,17–20,23] (Figure 3).
Fig. 3
Commonly applied definition criteria for ABD.
Parfitt has challenged such a high threshold for osteoid accumulation, since 5% is
already ‘generous’, assuming that normal osteoid volume is 1.5 ± 1.2% [5]. If the
lower 5% cut-off is used, more patients will be diagnosed with osteomalacia than with
ABD [24]. In contrast, a fibrous tissue volume of <0.5% is a non-disputed criterion
for ABD [13–21,23].
Within ABD, it is of major therapeutic importance to distinguish aluminium-induced
and non-aluminium-induced forms [10,25,26]. Recently, a variant of ABD has been described
(so-called ABD-V) [23], which is characterized by high osteoclastic resorption (osteoclast
surface/bone surface more than two standard deviations higher than in controls). Its
clinical relevance remains to be defined.
How to diagnose the subtype of renal osteodystrophy
The gold standard for the diagnosis and classification of ROD is histomorphometric
analysis of an undecalcified bone sample [1]. Pre-biopsy in vivo tetracycline labelling
as well as amyloid and aluminium stains are required for complete diagnostic work-up.
A combination of dynamic and static bone parameters, both of cortical and trabecular
bone, gives a complete overview upon bone metabolism [3,5]. The preferred site of
biopsy is 2 cm posterior and 2 cm inferior to the anterior iliac crest using an instrument
designed to obtain a core of bone of at least 4–5 mm diameter [9] (e.g. Meunier® bone
biopsy device).
KDIGO and NKF-KDOQI guidelines recommend a bone biopsy in the following cases (Table
3).
Table 3
Possible indications for an iliac crest bone biopsy in renal osteodystrophya
If a CKD patient with serum levels of intact PTH (iPTH) between 100 and 500 pg/mL
(11.0–55.0 pmol/L) develops unexplained hypercalcaemia, bone pain or an increase in
bone alkaline phosphatase activity
Inconsistencies among biochemical parameters that do not allow a definitive interpretation
of bone metabolism
Unexplained skeletal fracture or bone pain
In the absence of other known causes of a bone fracture (e.g. malignancy); in the
case of low trauma, unexplained fracture
Severe progressive vascular calcification
Unexplained hypercalcaemia
Suspicion of aluminium overload or toxicity (or possibly other metals like strontium),
especially before chelation treatment due to possible side effects of DFO
Before parathyroidectomy if there has been significant exposure to aluminium in the
past or if the results of biochemical determinations are not consistent with advanced
secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism
Consider a biopsy before beginning treatment with bisphosphonates
aModified after [1] and http://www.kidney.org/professionals/KDOQI/guidelines_bone/index.htm.
The indications for a bone biopsy after renal transplantation are less clear and not
explicitly discussed in current guidelines. Basically, the above-mentioned indications
also apply for the posttransplant situation.
Bone biopsy and the role of tetracycline labelling
It is mandatory to distinguish between static and dynamic bone parameters in histomorphometry.
Static histomorphometric parameters include bone volume/tissue volume, osteoid thickness,
osteoid surface/bone surface, osteoblast surface/bone surface, osteoclast surface/bone
surface, and fibrosis volume/tissue volume. In contrast, BFR, activation frequency
and mineralization lag time are dynamic bone parameters.
In order to evaluate the underlying dynamics of bone morphology, in vivo tetracycline
labelling is necessary [4,25]. Tetracyclines show fluorescence in ultraviolet light
and bind to actively forming bone areas. Calcium-containing phosphate binders should
not be given in parallel to tetracycline. In patients with severely impaired renal
function, one possible scheme for tetracycline labelling is shown in Table 4 [27].
Information is enhanced by using two different tetracylines with different fluorescence
[27]. After the second labelling period, 4–6 days should elapse to give the second
tetracycline line sufficient time to get buried by osteoid, in order to protect it
from washout during in vitro staining. A modified, short-term ‘emergency’ labelling
scheme is possible [9,27]. The most appropriate labelling scheme should be chosen
in agreement with the local bone pathologist.
Table 4
Example of tetracycline labelling in patients with suspected renal osteodystrophy
First label: doxycyclin 100 mg SID for 3 days
wait 14 days (8–15 days)
Second label: minocyclin 50 mg BID for 3 days (2–4 days)
perform a biopsy 4–6 days later
Several alternatives from the tetracycline family are available, e.g. tetracycline
hydrochloride (250 mg TID/BID depending on renal function on days 25–23 before biopsy)
followed by demeclocycline (days 4–2 before biopsy) (note: demeclocycline capsules
or tablets are not available in parts of the European Community).
Alternatively, two doses of tetracycline hydrochloride 10 days apart may be used.
Assessment of renal osteodystrophy without a bone biopsy
Measurements of bone mineral density or plain bone radiographs are not suitable for
a diagnosis of ROD [25], although the latter may identify Looser's zones. None of
the known biochemical markers for parathyroid status, bone formation and bone resorption
have reached a sufficient level of diagnostic accuracy (reviews in [1,25,28]), and
none so far can replace the diagnostic power of a bone biopsy.
Whereas plasma iPTH levels at the extremes, i.e. <50 pg/ml and >800 pg/ml, are usually
associated with ABD and high-turnover bone disease, respectively, in particular levels
between about 100 and 500 pg/ml exhibit variable associations with types of bone lesions.
This diagnostic uncertainty of intermediate, K/DOQI target-compliant PTH levels has
recently been confirmed by bone biopsy studies from Brazil [29] and Portugal [30].
The situation is complicated further by wide variations in iPTH results if different
test assays are employed [31,32] and by potentially variable ratios of agonistic (PTH1–84)
and antagonistic (PTH7–84) PTH forms [33].
Bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) is probably the single most useful biochemical parameter
for the assessment of bone formation. Elevated levels of bone alkaline phosphatase
virtually exclude an adynamic renal bone disease [25,28]; however, elevations of BAP
along with total AP may be seen in cases of severe osteomalacia. Combinations of biochemical
markers hold promise [22], at least for the differentiation for high-turnover versus
adynamic forms. Such combinations could be, for example, iPTH plus osteoprotegerin
[2] or iPTH plus bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [28]. Another approach is to measure
the ratio of PTH(1–84) to PTH(7–84) [33].
Currently, the domain of biochemical markers is the long-term monitoring of ROD evolution.
Changes of bone markers, such as bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, over time, may
be suitable indicators for the assessment of therapeutic effects.
Aluminium bone disease
Hyperaluminaemia in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients was reported as early
as 1970 [34]. The true dimension of aluminium-related complications in dialysis patients,
including bone disease, emerged in the 1980s [35,36]. In the 1980s, aluminium overload
was the predominant cause for the development of low-turnover bone disease in dialysis
patients [35,37]. In aluminium-treated dialysis patients with osteitis fibrosa, the
distribution of aluminium in bone is diffuse, whereas in aluminium-induced osteomalacia,
or ABD, there is a predominant localization along the mineralization front [35]. Aluminium
causes mineralization defects, and markedly reduces both osteoclast resorption and
osteoblast surface [10]. It profoundly decreases PTH synthesis and release [38,39]
even in the presence of excessive hyperphosphataemia [40]. A chronic low-dose exposure
with concomitant high dosages of vitamin D may preferentially lead to ABD [10] rather
than osteomalacia. Clinically, the aluminium-induced ABD forms appear particularly
prone to causing bone pain, hypercalcaemia and fractures [10,26]. A current example
that even recent trial findings have to take into account the underlying aluminium
exposure is the study by Barreto et al. from Brazil [29]. They recorded a high proportion
of low-turnover bone disease (∼2/3) in their entire cohort. Of these patients ∼60%
had substantial aluminium staining (>25% aluminium bone staining) in contrast to about
a third of the patients with high-turnover bone disease.
Sources of aluminium
Prior to widespread usage of reverse osmosis, water contamination used to be a major
source of aluminium for dialysis patients [35]. Aluminium toxicity has also been described
in CKD patients ingesting aluminium hydroxide who had never been treated with dialysis
[41]. Although aluminium-containing phosphate binder usage has substantially declined,
in 1995 about a quarter of patients exhibited positive aluminium bone staining, and
in a study published in 2004, 57% of the dialysis patients had been treated with aluminium
‘in the past’ [42]. Thus, aluminium overload or intoxication continues to be a clinical
concern. There is certainly a difference in the clinical relevance of aluminium-induced
bone disease between ‘developing’ and ‘developed’ countries simply due to the different
prescription patterns. Especially in emerging countries aluminium is used more generously,
and as a consequence in the year 2000, 95% of the bone biopsies contained Al in Uruguay
compared to 19% in Spain [43].
How to diagnose aluminium bone disease
Serum aluminium levels do not correctly reflect body aluminium stores and do not correlate
well with signs of aluminium toxicity. A desferrioxamine (DFO) test increases the
diagnostic accuracy (Table 5).
Table 5
How to perform a DFO test
Stop iron supplements 5 days before DFO testing
Serum aluminium measurements need to be performed using an aluminium-free blood collection
tube
Measure aluminium in serum before dialysis session; choose dialysis session before
long dialysis interval
Administer DFO 1 h before end of dialysis session by i.v‥ DFO tests may be performed
with high-dose (40 mg/kg) [42] or low-dose DFO (5–10 mg/kg) [44,45]
Measure aluminium again in serum after long interval before next dialysis
Depending on the dosage of DFO administered, the aluminium increase in serum regarded
as diagnostic varies from exceeding 50 μg/L [44] to 200 μg/L [45]. The NKF-K/DOQI
guidelines recommend performing the low-dose test because of possible DFO side effects
(ophthalmologic damage and mucormycosis). The sensitivity and specificity of the low-dose
DFO test to diagnose Al-bone disease are 87% and 95%, respectively, if at the same
time iPTH levels are <150 pg/mL [46]. Candidates for DFO testing are patients with
elevated serum aluminium levels (between 60 and 200 μg/L) and clinical symptoms and/or
signs suggestive of aluminium toxicity. Patients exposed to significant amounts of
aluminium in the past and who are scheduled for parathyroidectomy should also be tested,
since aluminium-related bone disease can worsen after parathyroidectomy. The latter
concern may also apply if calcimimetics are used in such patients, but this is not
proven yet.
Upon bone biopsy staining using the aluminon reagent or the acid solochrome azurine
(ASA) stain is required in order to detect aluminium [47,48]. Aluminium-positive surfaces
<5% are usually not considered to be significant, while those >25% are considered
to be strongly positive [49].
When does ABD occur in the course of CKD?
ABD frequently occurs before ESRD is reached [21,50,51]. Bone biopsies in patients
new on dialysis or with advanced CKD (mean age 54 ± 12 years) revealed ABD in 23%
of the patients [21]. None of these patients had received calcitriol or aluminium
during the course of CKD. An even higher ABD prevalence of 49% in predialysis CKD
stage 5 patients was reported [19]. The prevalence of ABD was 13% in patients with
a creatinine clearance of 20 ± 12 ml/ min [51]. No data are available on the evolution
of ABD in patients who progress from CKD stages 3 to 5.
Evolution of ABD prevalence over the last decades
The prevalence of ABD has increased over the last 15– 20 years, despite the fact that
aluminium-induced low-turnover bone disease has become more and more infrequent [6,18]
(Figure 4). Non-aluminium-induced ABD has now emerged as the dominant lesion in a
mixed cohort of adult haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients [18], and in
particular in diabetic ESRD patients, prevalences up to 67% have been observed [21].
In parallel, the former predominance of hyperparathyroid bone disease has diminished
[6,52]. The increase in ABD prevalence parallels two major developments in dialysis
patients. First, the proportion of elderly and diabetic patients is steadily growing.
Second, many patients were exposed to relatively high vitamin D and oral calcium dosages.
It is currently impossible to quantify the relative impact of these two potentially
causative factors.
Of note, not all studies confirm a high ABD prevalence. For example, Lehmann et al.
[20] used the static histological parameters, osteoclast-covered surface/bone surface
(OcS/BS <1%) and osteoblast-covered surface/bone surface (ObS/BS <1%), to stratify
patients into low- versus high-turnover osteopathy. With this classification, only
∼7% of both pre- and dialysis patients suffered from low-turnover osteopathy.
Fig. 4
Evolution of ROD distribution pattern over time (modified after [6]).
What are risk factors for the development of ABD?
Besides aluminium, several other factors or conditions decrease bone turnover and
bone remodelling activity (Table 6). Low bone turnover is not limited to advanced
CKD, but also occurs in other conditions that are frequent in dialysis populations
such as advanced age, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, diabetes and hypoparathyroidism.
A relative ‘hypoparathyroidism’ is regarded as an important risk factor for ABD [14,18,50,53].
It may be due to low iPTH(1–84) levels or to a relative excess of antagonistic PTH
fragments (e.g. PTH(7–84)) that negatively affect bone metabolism [54]. In a bone
biopsy study in dialysis patients, iPTH plasma levels determined by immunoradiometric
assay (Nichols Allegro) were highly predictive of ABD if <120 pg/mL, while levels
>450 pg/mL virtually excluded ABD [19]. When considering the optimal osteoblast surface
(1.5%) and the absence of fibrosis, the authors defined an iPTH range between 120
and 250 pg/mL as desirable (in patients not treated with calcitriol). In agreement
with this report, bone biopsies in parathyroidectomized dialysis patients with a persistent
iPTH plasma level <70 pg/mL uniformly revealed low turnover or ABD at 1 year after
the operation [55].
Table 6
Factors associated with a high prevalence of ABD
High calcium load [10]
Low PTH levels [14,18,50,53]
Vitamin D over-treatment [62–64]
Increasing age of the dialysis patients [6,65]
High prevalence of diabetes mellitus [6,65,66]
CAPD compared to haemodialysis [6,18,65,67]
Apart from absolute or relative hypoparathyroidism, ABD is frequently characterized
by skeletal resistance to bone-anabolic PTH actions, presumably via a down-regulation
of the PTH/PTHrp receptor on osteoblasts [56,57]. In patients with ABD, the parathyroid
gland responsiveness to hypocalcaemia is diminished. As a consequence, PTH pulsatility,
an important parameter accounting for PTH anabolic bone actions, is impaired in ABD.
Diabetes mellitus negatively affects bone metabolism. In type 1 diabetics with ESRD
bone biopsies exhibited reduced trabecular and osteoid bone volumes and marked reductions
in indices of bone formation and resorption [58]. Diabetic dialysis patients are also
particularly prone to aluminium accumulation and PTH resistance [59].
Calcium administration and vitamin D as triggers for ABD will be discussed in the
‘treatment’ section.
It is clear from the above that the pathophysiology of ABD is certainly multifactorial.
Further mediators may include uraemic toxins as well as derangements in cytokines
and growth factors [10, 60]. In summary, on the background of relative PTH resistance
in a uraemic milieu and presumably several other factors, there is only a thin line
in CKD between allowing sufficient hyperparathyroidism to maintain sufficient bone
metabolism versus oversuppression of PTH leading to low-turnover bone disease [61].
Low-turnover bone disease and clinical symptoms
Skeletal pain may occur in all subtypes of ROD, but is especially common in patients
with (aluminium-induced) osteomalacia [10]. Proximal muscle weakness together with
axial skeletal pain and fractures of the ribs, vertebral bodies, pelvis and hips has
been described as common features of aluminium-induced osteomalacia [35]. However,
these signs and symptoms may also occur in the absence of aluminium overload in patients
with osteomalacic bone lesions [68] (Figure 5). The classical triad [35] of dialysis
encephalopathy [69], microcytic anaemia and osteopathy suggesting aluminium toxicity
is very rare nowadays. It has been claimed that ‘aluminium-induced bone disease is
the only form of low-turnover producing symptoms and ultimately death’ [10]. This
idea came from observation that side effects of low-turnover bone disease (pain, hypercalcaemia,
fractures) were associated with aluminium covering >20% of the bone surface [10].
However, non-aluminium induced ABD also carries significant morbidity and mortality
[42] (see below) and it is now clear that any type of ABD may cause bone pain. However,
there is no pathognomonic clinical sign of ABD.
Fig. 5
Painful bone lesions in a patient with low-turnover osteodystrophy and Looser zones
(arrow) (courtesy of Professor R. Guenther, Aachen).
ABD and calcium metabolism
ABD is characterized by a reduced ability to incorporate serum calcium into the bone
compartment [70]. In calcium isotope experiments in dialysis patients with biopsy-proven
ROD, calcium accretion in bone was significantly lower in ABD compared to hyperparathyroid
bone lesions [70]. Patients with reduced bone turnover exhibited a higher systemic
calcium exposure while enteral calcium absorption did not differ between high- and
low-turnover bone lesions [70]. In agreement with this, low biochemical markers of
bone turnover predicted the development of hypercalcaemia after the initiation of
calcium carbonate [71]. The reduced bone capacity to buffer calcium loads in ABD has
now been widely confirmed [72].
ABD and ectopic calcification
Cardiovascular calcifications and associated mortality are prominent clinical problems
in patients with ESRD [73–75]. Several studies noted a relation between bone metabolism
and such calcifications. In 224 prevalent Turkish haemodialysis patients, low turnover
was detected in 75% of the bone biopsies [76]. Patients with the lowest bone activation
frequencies, i.e. the lowest bone turnover, exhibited the most pronounced coronary
artery calcification (CAC) scores. Similar findings were obtained in 101 Brazilian
haemodialysis patients [15]. London et al. [42] quantified vascular calcifications
of the common carotid arteries, the abdominal aorta, iliofemoral axis as well as legs.
Increasing calcification score levels were associated with decreasing mean iPTH, tetracycline
double-labelled surface and osteoblast surface, while the aluminium-stained surface
predicted the calcification score in a multiple stepwise regression analysis [42].
All these findings point to an association of low-bone turnover with cardiovascular
calcifications (Figures 6 and 7).
Fig. 6
Impaired bone buffering capacity in both high-turnover osteopathy and adynamic bone
turnover.
Fig. 7
Coexistence of bone (arrow) and vascular (arrowheads) disease in uraemia.
Calcific uraemic arteriolopathy (CUA), formerly called calciphylaxis, has also been
linked to ABD [77]: five out of seven patients with CUA had biopsy-confirmed ABD (Figure
8).
Fig. 8
Painful, cutaneous lesions in a patient with calcific uraemic arteriolopathy, CUA
(calciphylaxis).
The above human data are supported by animal studies performed in LDL receptor knock-out
mice (LDL-R−/−). These mice, when fed a high-fat or diabetogenic diet, also exhibit
the combination of low-turnover osteodystrophy and vascular calcifications [78,79].
This is accelerated by superimposed experimental CKD [78,79]. Administration of anabolic
bone stimulating agents such as bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP-7) [78] or synthetic
PTH(1–34) [79] improved bone turnover and skeletal mineralization and decreased calcium
deposition in the aorta.
Low iPTH and increased mortality
The causal relation between ABD and vascular disease may at least in part explain
why iPTH plasma levels <150 pg/mL led to a significant, 1.4-fold increase in mortality
in 58 000 ESRD patients after extensive multivariate adjustments [80]. Ganesh et al.
confirmed a U-curve relationship in their 2-year follow-up study in 12 800 dialysis
patients: Both very low (<32 pg/ml) and high iPTH levels (>496 pg/ml) increased the
risk for sudden death [81]. Similar findings were reported in other smaller studies
[82;83]. In particular the combination of low iPTH and high serum calcium levels (plus
high serum phosphate), a combination typical for ABD, was associated with substantial
mortality [84]. However, such a U-curve-shaped relationship between PTH and mortality
has not been uniformly confirmed. After multiple adjustments, Block et al. revealed
a linear association of the two parameters [85].
ABD and bone stability
ABD is associated with a diminished ability to repair microdamage [5]. Accumulated
microdamage may result in an increased fracture risk [53,86]. In a retrospective study
in 9000 haemodialysis patients, a U-curve relationship between fracture risk and plasma
iPTH levels was indeed detectable [87]. Fracture risk was comparable for hip, vertebrae
and pelvis in patients with iPTH levels <150 pg/mL and those with iPTH exceeding 800
pg/mL and was lowest around ∼300 pg/mL [87]. Another study determined that, compared
to the normal population, hip fracture incidence was 17 times higher in ESRD patients
[88]. One of the significant predictors of fracture risk was an iPTH level <195 pg/mL.
Atsumi et al. [86] retrospectively showed that the lowest tertile of iPTH, in particular
in men, was associated with a 22% increase in the risk of vertebral fractures. However,
all these studies have significant limitations and may only serve to create a hypothesis
rather than to establish evidence, since none assessed bone histologies or parathyroidectomy
rates and they were retrospective and uncontrolled.
In prepubertal children, ABD was associated with decreased linear growth and worsened
growth retardation [89].
Management of the patient with ABD
General considerations
In contrast to high-turnover bone disease, the management of ABD is not well investigated
and large-scale prospective randomized trials are absent [90]. The treatment currently
follows two principles: first, to reduce calcium and vitamin D load and second, to
restore PTH activity (Table 7). Using these approaches, ABD is reversible in a substantial
number of patients [13,91]. However, while the approaches mentioned above appear intuitive,
the situation clearly is more complex given data from large databases indicating that
treatment with active vitamin D is associated with a survival benefit even in patients
with very low PTH levels [92]. Thus, potential bone benefits of avoiding active vitamin
D in ABD patients may be offset by the resulting lack of other beneficial actions
of a pleiotropic compound such as vitamin D, emphasizing the need for large controlled
prospective trials in this area.
Table 7
Therapeutic strategies in ABD
Stop calcium-containing phosphate binders and replace with non-calcium-, non-aluminium-containing
phosphate binders
Assess oral dietary calcium intake and reduce to <2000 mg/day
Reduce or stop active vitamin D compounds
Lower dialysate calcium to 1.25 mmol/L or below
In selected cases consider a biopsy to confirm diagnosis and to assess bone aluminium
content and distribution
Stop aluminium exposition; consider aluminium mobilisation and removal (DFO treatment)
Consider PTH(1–34) in ABD plus severe fracturing osteoporosis
Calcimimetics and calcilytics currently of unknown value
Avoid bisphosphonates, strontium and fluoride administration
Aluminium removal in cases of significant exposure
DFO mobilizes aluminium from bone and decreases the proportion of protein-bound aluminium
in plasma, thereby facilitating removal by dialysis. Discontinuation of aluminium
and administration of DFO improved signs of aluminium-induced bone lesions in vivo
[93,94]. Human data with serial biopsies after DFO treatment have shown marked declines
in stainable bone-surface aluminium that were associated with increases in BFR [17].
Long-term application of DFO (11 ± 4 months, dosage 42 ± 17 mg/kg administered once
weekly) also improved signs of dementia and increased erythrocyte mean corpuscular
volume, but side effects were common [95]. Polysulfone dialyzers offer maximum clearance
of DFO-aluminium complexes [96]. Parathyroidectomy should be avoided in patients with
aluminium-induced bone disease, since the decrease in bone turnover after surgery
may be associated with an accelerated accumulation of aluminium in bone [97]. A repeat
bone biopsy with quantification of stainable aluminium on the trabecular surface may
help to guide the duration of chelation therapy [27].
Reduction of intradialytic calcium loading
Serum ionized calcium levels are probably the most powerful regulator of PTH synthesis
and excretion. Especially in conjunction with vitamin D treatment a positive calcium
balance depresses bone turnover [63]. For both haemodialysis and CAPD patients there
are convincing laboratory data and first histomorphometry results showing that lowering
dialysate calcium concentration improves ABD [13,98–100]. Reducing the dialysate calcium
concentration from 1.75 or 1.5 mmol/L to 1.25 mmol/L reduced serum ionized calcium,
diminished episodes of hypercalacemia and increased iPTH (fourfold), bone-specific
alkaline phosphatase and TRAP-5b levels within 3–6 months [100]. In a prospective
trial in 51 CAPD patients with biopsy-proven ABD, two batch calcium concentrations
(1.62 mM or 1.0 mM) were compared [13]. Repeat bone biopsies after 16 months showed
that the low-calcium batch led to a normalization of BFR, which increased from 18.1
± 5.6 to 159 ± 59 μm2/mm2/day. The low-calcium group experienced a decrease in serum
ionized calcium levels resulting in a 300% increase in serum iPTH values (from 57
± 15 to 237 ± 34 pg/mL). In 40% of the patients, ABD had resolved after 16 months.
The current NKF K/DOQI guidelines recommend limiting daily oral calcium intake (dietary
calcium plus phosphate binder) to <2000 mg. Dialysate calcium concentrations of 1.75
mmol/L should not be used routinely. In cases of ABD, reduction of dialysate calcium
to 1.25 or 1.00 mmol/L is advisable and usually tolerated well clinically.
Usage of calcium-free phosphate binders
Oral calcium-containing phosphate binders are the other major source of calcium. Recently
developed calcium- and aluminium-free phosphate binders now offer alternatives. Two
prospective bone biopsy studies have compared the effects of calcium-free versus calcium-containing
phosphate binders on bone metabolism and histology in dialysis patients [30,91]. D'Haese
et al. [91] compared the bone effects of lanthanum carbonate versus calcium carbonate
in 63 dialysis patients. The median intake of calcium carbonate and lanthanum carbonate
was 2000 (n = 30) and 1250 mg/day (n = 33), respectively. After 1 year of treatment,
the number of patients increasing their bone turnover after an initial diagnosis of
ABD was similar in both groups (3/6 calcium carbonate versus 4/6 lanthanum). However,
during the follow-up, bone turnover decreased to ABD after an initial diagnosis of
high-turnover ROD in six patients of the calcium carbonate group versus one patient
in the lanthanum group. Regarding sevelamer, Ferreira et al. analysed repetitive bone
biopsies in 68 patients after 1 year of treatment with either sevelamer (dosage increased
from 3.3 ± 2.0 to 5.0 ± 2.7 g/day) or calcium carbonate (dosage increased from 3.8
± 2.2 to 4.0 ± 2.5 g/day) [30]. Only the sevelamer group exhibited a significant increase
in BFR per bone surface. At the end of the study three patients (9%) had developed
de novo ABD in the sevelamer group compared to six (17%) in the calcium group. However,
the comparability between these two bone biopsy studies is limited due to different
histomorphometric criteria of ABD [30,91]. Several additional lines of evidence also
point towards an improved bone turnover following a switch from calcium-containing
phosphate binders to sevelamer [101,102]. In the Treat-to-Goal study, 200 haemodialysis
patients were randomized either to 6.5 g/day sevelamer or 4.6 g/day calcium acetate
or 3.9/day g calcium carbonate (mean intake) over 53 weeks. Mean iPTH remained stable
in the sevelamer group (∼220 pg/mL), whereas it dropped significantly from 200 to
138 pg/ml in the calcium group. In a post hoc analysis of this study, it was shown
that calcium-treated subjects showed a decrease in thoracic vertebral trabecular bone
attenuation, a surrogate marker of bone density, whereas sevelamer-treated subjects
exhibited stable values [102]. Similar data were obtained in a 2-year prospective
study that also compared calcium carbonate-treated (4.3 ± 1.7 g/day) with sevelamer-treated
(6.9 ± 2.6 g/day) haemodialysis patients [103]. The calcium carbonate group in comparison
to the sevelamer group exhibited decreasing iPTH levels, significantly more hypercalcaemic
episodes, and a loss of trabecular bone density [103] (Figure 9).
Fig. 9
Change in trabecular bone density: comparison between sevelamer and calcium carbonate
treatment (modified after [103]).
These human data are in line with experimental results indicating that high dosages
of calcium supplementation in uraemic rats suppress osteoclastic and chondroclastic
activity [104].
Avoidance of vitamin D over-treatment
The administration of active vitamin D compounds reduces bone turnover in CKD patients.
One hundred and seventy-six CKD patients (GFR 15–50 ml/min) were randomized to alphacalcidol
(0.25 μg every other day to 1.0 μg/day) or placebo treatment over 2 years [49]. Bone
biopsies were performed at the study entry and end. In patients with ROD at baseline
(75%), alphacalcidol treatment significantly reduced osteoblast surface, number of
osteoblasts, eroded surface and BFR while these parameters changed insignificantly
with placebo. Biopsy studies indicate that high dosages of active vitamin D (calcitriol)
in patients with ESRD may eventually lead to the development of ABD. In a prospective
12-month study with serial bone biopsies in 14 children on peritoneal dialysis, all
exhibited hyperparathyroidism-associated bone lesions at baseline and 11 overt osteitis
fibrosa [63]. Intermittent oral or intraperitoneal calcitriol decreased BFR by ∼60%
and six children developed ABD (43%) [63]. Similar results emerged from another 12-month
repeat biopsy study in 16 peritoneal dialysis children, who, after an initial diagnosis
of osteitis fibrosa (n = 9) or mild lesions of secondary HPT (n = 7), developed ABD
under calcitriol in 25% of the cases [89]. However, in all these studies high-dosage
active vitamin D treatment was associated with higher incidences of hypercalcaemia
and higher mean serum calcium levels. Therefore, it is difficult to assess the particular
impact of non-calcaemic versus calcaemic vitamin D actions upon bone metabolism. Moreover,
the high dialysate calcium content of 1.75 mmol/L certainly contributed to ABD development
in the two studies.
Preliminary in vitro data point towards a lower osteoblast activity suppression of
novel vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonists (paricalcitol) [105]. Additionally, paricalcitol
increased while calcitriol decreased the PTH(1–84)/PTH C-fragment ratio in haemodialysis
patients indicating a positive effect by paricalcitol on skeletal PTH resistance [106].
However, no human bone biopsy data are available to verify whether newer VDR agonists
indeed affect bone turnover in a better way than calcitriol.
Teriparatide as a bone-stimulating agent
The daily subcutaneous application of PTH(1–34), teriparatide, is a powerful anti-osteoporotic
treatment. In theory, teriparatide offers the chance to restore bone metabolism in
patients with ABD ([79] see above). The administration of PTH(1–34) in patients with
‘non-renal’ hypoparathyroidism (mostly post-surgical or with gain-of-function mutations
in the calcium-sensing receptor) over 3 years led to significant elevations of bone
turnover markers [107]. However, controlled human trials in CKD have not been performed
so far. Nevertheless, in anecdotal reports, teriparatide (e.g. 20 μg s.c. three times
per week after haemodialysis) has been used in bone biopsy-confirmed ABD patients
with severe fracturing osteoporosis. Reductions of bone pain and transient increases
of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase have been reported.
Restoring the pulsatile PTH secretion pattern
The biological action of PTH on bone largely depends on pulsatile PTH secretion [108].
This may explain the risk for ABD in patients receiving active vitamin D or peritoneal
dialysis, since in the former case vitamin D activity builds up over days and then
continuously suppresses PTH release, whereas in PD patients there is often a constant
exposure to high calcium dialysate levels, in contrast to the fluctuating calcium
level in HD patients.
Two classes of compounds may help re-establish a pulsatile, oscillatory secretion
pattern of PTH in patients with ABD: the calcimimetics and the calcilytics. The calcimimetic
agent cinacalcet has a half-life of <24 h and initially reduces iPTH levels markedly,
but this is followed by a strong iPTH rebound in plasma so that circadian swings of
plasma iPTH increase [109]. In vivo experiments already showed a bone protective,
bone anabolic effect of calcimimetics [110]. Untreated rats with adriamycin-induced
CKD developed a low-turnover bone disease resembling osteomalacia [110]. Two treatment
arms with NPS-568, a short-acting calcimimetic agent, were tested: one with daily
oral gavage, the other with a continuous subcutaneous infusion. While the continuous
infusion normalized PTH-levels in the previously hyperparathyroid CKD animals, large
fluctuations of PTH were detectable in the gavage group: at 1 h after gavage, PTH
decreased by 78%, while levels had returned to baseline after 14 h. After 57 days,
several parameters of bone formation were significantly improved in the daily gavage
arm compared to the animals treated continuously.
Finally, calcilytic agents, which temporarily block the calcium sensing receptor at
the parathyroid gland and thereby promote PTH secretion, may also help to stimulate
bone turnover by increasing the pulsatile PTH secretion pattern. The oral calcilytic
agent NPS 2143 has been applied to a model of bone loss and osteopenia (ovarectomized
rats) [111] and compared with the action of s.c. PTH(1–34). Increases of plasma PTH
after the administration of NPS 2143 were prolonged (>4 h) in contrast to short increases
with s.c. PTH(1–34). Indeed, both agents stimulated bone turnover. However, NPS 2143
resulted in a dramatic increase in both bone formation and resorption, with no net
effect on bone mass. In contrast, PTH(1–34) also increased both resorption and formation,
but formation exceeded resorption, resulting in increased bone mass. Only the coapplication
of the calcilytic agent plus estradiol led to an increase in bone mass, presumably
due to the hormonal antiresorptive effect in this experiment. Calcilytic agents therefore
need further proof of bone protective properties.
ABD: closing remarks
ABD is not an innocent bystander in CKD [65]. It is possibly the most prevalent bone
lesion in advanced CKD, is associated with impaired calcium metabolism and linked
to cardiovascular disease and mortality in CKD patients. ABD is, at least in part,
often iatrogenic and it is this part in particular, which lends itself to prevention
or therapeutic intervention. Reducing the calcium load is the best investigated preventive
or therapeutic option in non-aluminium induced ABD.