Cholecalciferol therapy; is it the gold standard for vitamin D deficiency and mineral disorders in hemodialysis?

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is frequently observed among dialysis patients. Previous studies suggested that 50 to 90% of end-stage renal disease patients are deficient in vitamin D. In Tunisia, studies regarding hypovitaminosis D in patients on dialysis are not numerous. Actually, many data support the use of native vitamin D in hemodialysis (HD) patients. In Tunisia, using native vitamin D is not part of therapeutic habits of all dialysis centers. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 undergoing HD and to evaluate the effect of oral cholecalciferol supplementation, in intact parathormone (iPTH), serum calcium and serum phosphorus. Patients and Methods: We conducted a pre-experimental study among HD patients. Monthly oral supplementation with Cholecalciferol, was instituted for six months. Results: Forty-three participants were included. The mean 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration was 17.89 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 83.7% of our patients. We observed a significant increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D and calcium levels and a significant decline in iPTH levels. No evidence of toxicity, nor severe hypercalcemia or hyperphosphatemia was noted. Conclusion: The supplementation with cholecalciferol seems reasonable and well tolerated in HD patients if reasonable doses are used with regular monitoring.