Calcitriol treatment in metabolic bone disease of prematurity with elevated parathyroid hormone: A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the association of calcitriol treatment with the change in parathyroid hormone (PTH) and biochemical markers of bone disease in infants with metabolic bone disease of prematurity (MBD) and secondary hyperparathyroidism. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective chart review examined serum intact PTH, serum calcium (Ca), serum phosphorus (P), serum alkaline phosphatase (APA), urine calcium/creatinine (UCa/Cr), and tubular reabsorption of phosphate (TRP) in 32 infants prior to and following calcitriol treatment for MBD with PTH >100 pg/ml. 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were recorded. RESULTS: Following calcitriol treatment, PTH decreased from median (min/max) 220 (115/593) to 25 (3/259) pg/ml, p < 0.001; Ca increased from 9.9 (8.9/10.7) to 10.3 (9.7/11.3) mg/dl, p < 0.001; P increased from 4.3 (2.7/6.4) to 5.4 (2.9/7.4) mg/dl, p = 0.001; and TRP increased from 81 (59/98) to 91.5 (78/98) %, p = 0.03. APA did not differ pre-treatment: 616 (209/1193) vs. post-treatment 485 (196/1229) U/L, p = 0.12. Vitamin D deficiency was not present. Hypercalcemia with hypercalciuria occurred in 3/32 subjects, all normalized after dose reduction. CONCLUSION: Improvements in MBD markers and lack of serious adverse effects suggest calcitriol may be a treatment option in infants with MBD and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Metabolic bone disease of prematurity.

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) of prematurity remains a significant problem for preterm, chronically ill neonates. The definition and recommendations for screening and treatment of MBD vary in the literature. A recent American Academy of Pediatrics Consensus Statement may help close the gap in institutional variation, but evidence based practice guidelines remain obscure due to lack of normative data and clinical trials for preterm infants. This review highlights mineral homeostasis physiology, current recommendations in screening and monitoring, prevention and treatment strategies, and an added perspective of a bone health team serving a high volume referral neonatal intensive care center.