The role of native vitamin D treatment in the clinical assessment of osteoporosis in patients with chronic kidney disease

Abstract

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with various bone disorders such as osteoporosis by affecting bone mineralization. Current international guidelines recommend vitamin D supplementation in CKD as well as in the general population. However, the effect of various forms of vitamin D on bone health in CKD remains unclear. Few randomized controlled studies have evaluated the effects of vitamin D supplementation on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers; however, the findings of these studies are heterogeneous. This review aimed to present comprehensive and current findings on the effects of native vitamin D supplementation on bone biomarkers and bone mineral density in CKD. We infered that native vitamin D treatment could improve some bone biomarkers, particularly in predialysis CKD patients with severe vitamin D deficiency. Our findings also draw attention to the fact that vitamin D is an important factor in treatment. However, it is essential to design better-quality and comprehensive controlled studies to obtain clear findings.