[Treatment of vitamin D deficiency in the general population and in patients with chronic kidney disease]. / La terapia della carenza di vitamina D nella popolazione generale e nei pazienti con malattia renale cronica.

Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient for humans. Vitamin D functions are not limited to the regulation of bone; it plays many pleiotropic effects due to ubiquitous distribution of VDR (Vitamin D Receptor). The vitamin D deficiency (defined as plasma levels of 25 - OH - vitamin D < 30 ng / ml) is now a public health problem worldwide. It is therefore essential to define protocols for supplementation of vitamin D in the general population and in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and indications on the use of different Vitamins D available.

[Liposomial iron: a new proposal for the treatment of anaemia in chronic kidney disease]. / Il ferro liposomiale: una nuova proposta per il trattamento dell'anemia nei pazienti affetti da insufficenza renale cronica.

Iron supplementation is essential for the treatment of anemia in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population. Liposomial iron is a preparation of ferric pyrophosphate carried within a phospholipidic membrane. Compared to other oral formulations, it is well absorbed from the gut and demonstrates high bioavailability together with a lower incidence of side effects. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with liposomial iron compared to intravenous iron in a CKD population with anemia and iron deficiency. Our study is a single-center, prospective, randomized, fourth-phase study. Enrollment for the study began in October 2011 and CKD 3, 4 and 5 patients were randomized to receive either intravenous iron or liposomial iron in a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was set as the increase of hemoglobin from baseline. The secondary outcomes were the reduction of erythropoietin dosage by at least 25% in patients treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and an increase in serum ferritin of 100 ng/ml from baseline values. In the preliminary study, 21 patients were analyzed, 14 of whom were treated with oral liposomial iron and 7 with intravenous iron. The observed increase of hemoglobin at 8 weeks compared to baseline was similar in both groups but was significant in the liposomial group only.