Chronic kidney disease--mineral and bone disorder: a complex scenario.

The chronic kidney disease-bone and mineral disorders (CKD-MBD) represents a dinamic area of research. Recently, new factors such as FGF-23 have been added to the classic list of regulators of bone metabolism, which include calcium, phosphorus, PTH and calcitriol. Vascular calcification, one of the most important complication of CKD-MBD is regulated by a complex variety of  promoters and inhibitors. The relationship between vascular calcification, bone loss and mortality, together with the existence of likely common signaling pathways are subject of interesting investigations.