Renal osteodystrophy in asymptomatic hemodialysis patients: evidence of a sex-dependent distribution and predictive value of serum aluminum measurements.

Bone histologies and serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, iPTH, 25 OHD, 1,25(OH)2D3, and aluminum were obtained from 113 chronically hemodialyzed patients free of symptoms and signs of renal osteodystrophy. All patients had a pathologic bone histology; in 69.0%, a mixed form with predominant osteitis fibrosa and concomitant osteoidosis. In 30.1%, we found pure hyperosteoidosis, nearly half of these cases showing osseous aluminum deposits. Hyperosteoidosis was much more frequent in women (35.7%) than in men (20.9%), although the prescribed intake of aluminum-containing phosphate binders was the same. It is possible that female hemodialysis patients were more prone to aluminum accumulation or that they had a better compliance in taking the aluminum hydroxide. Serum parameters alone were not very helpful in predicting the underlying bone disease. Mean iPTH concentrations tended to be lower in the patients with hyperosteoidosis than in those with the mixed lesion, but there was wide variation. Serum aluminum was only predictive for aluminum deposits in the bone when concentrations exceeded 100 micrograms/L.