Search

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, characterised by the cellular accumulation of globotriaosylceramide due to impaired alpha-galactosidase A enzyme activity. FD may manifest with multisystem pathology, including reduced bone mineral density (BMD). Registry data suggest that the introduction of Fabry-specific therapies (enzyme replacement therapy or chaperone therapy) has led to significant improvements in overall patient outcomes; however, there are limited data on the impact on bone density. The aim of this study was to describe the effect of Fabry-specific therapies on longitudinal changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in FD. We performed a retrospective observational study analysing bone densitometry (DXA) in patients with genetically confirmed FD. Patients were grouped based on the use of Fabry-specific therapies. The between-group longitudinal change in BMD Z-score was analysed using linear mixed effects models. A total of 88 FD patients were analysed (50 untreated; 38 treated). The mean age at first DXA was 38.5 years in the untreated group (84% female) and 43.7 years in the treated group (34% female). There was no significant longitudinal between-group difference in the BMD Z-score at the lumbar spine. However, the Z-score per year at the total hip (β = -0.105, p < 0.001) and femoral neck (β = -0.081, p = 0.001) was significantly lower over time in the treated than the untreated group. This may reflect those receiving therapy having a more severe underlying disease. Nevertheless, this suggests that Fabry-specific therapies do not reverse all disease mechanisms and that the additional management of BMD may be required in this patient population.

Background: Cardiovascular calcification, characterized by deposition of calcium phosphate in the arterial wall and heart valves, is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is commonly seen in aging, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Whether evidence-based interventions could significantly attenuate cardiovascular calcification progression remains uncertain., Methods and Results: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials involving interventions, compared with placebo, another comparator, or standard of care, to attenuate cardiovascular calcification. Included clinical trials involved participants without chronic kidney disease, and the outcome was cardiovascular calcification measured using radiological methods. Quality of evidence was determined by the Cochrane risk of bias and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations assessment. Forty-nine randomized controlled trials involving 9901 participants (median participants 104, median duration 12 months) were eligible for inclusion. Trials involving aged garlic extract (n=6 studies) consistently showed attenuation of cardiovascular calcification. Trials involving 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (n=14), other lipid-lowering agents (n=2), hormone replacement therapies (n=3), vitamin K (n=5), lifestyle measures (n=4), and omega-3 fatty acids (n=2) consistently showed no attenuation of cardiovascular calcification with these therapies. Trials involving antiresorptive (n=2), antihypertensive (n=2), antithrombotic (n=4), and hypoglycemic agents (n=3) showed mixed results. Singleton studies involving salsalate, folate with vitamin B6 and 12, and dalcetrapib showed no attenuation of cardiovascular calcification. Overall, Cochrane risk of bias was moderate, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations assessment for a majority of analyses was moderate certainty of evidence., Conclusions: Currently, there are insufficient or conflicting data for interventions evaluated in clinical trials for mitigation of cardiovascular calcification. Therapy involving aged garlic extract appears most promising, but evaluable studies were small and of short duration.

Background: Calciprotein particles (CPP) are colloidal aggregates of calcium phosphate and the mineral-binding protein fetuin-A, and are potential mediators of cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Emerging evidence suggests non-calcium-containing phosphate binders may reduce serum CPP in patients with kidney failure who require dialysis; however, it is unclear whether similar interventions are effective in patients with earlier stages of CKD., Methods: The IMpact of Phosphate Reduction On Vascular End-points in CKD (IMPROVE-CKD) was a multi-centre, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lanthanum carbonate on cardiovascular markers in 278 participants with stage 3b/4 CKD. In this pre-specified exploratory analysis, primary (CPP-I) and secondary CPP (CPP-II) were measured in a sub-cohort of participants over 96 weeks. Treatment groups were compared using linear mixed-effects models and the relationship between serum CPP and pulse wave velocity (PWV) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) was examined., Results: A total of 253 participants had CPP data for baseline and at least one follow-up timepoint and were included in this analysis. The mean age was 62.4 ± 12.6 years, 32.0% were female and the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 26.6 ± 8.3 mL/min/1.73 m2. Baseline median serum CPP-I was 14.9 × 104 particles/mL [interquartile range (IQR) 4.6-49.3] and median CPP-II was 3.3 × 103 particles/mL (IQR 1.4-5.4). There was no significant difference between treatment groups at 96 weeks in CPP-I [22.8% (95% confidence interval -39.2, 36.4), P = 0.65] or CPP-II [-18.3% (95% confidence interval -40.0, 11.2), P = 0.20] compared with a placebo. Serum CPP were not correlated with baseline PWV or AAC, or with the progression of either marker., Conclusions: Lanthanum carbonate was not associated with a reduction of CPP at 96 weeks when compared with a placebo in a CKD cohort., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.)

Background: Surgical parathyroidectomy may be required for severe and refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Parathyroidectomy is associated with long-term survival benefit despite an increase in short-term morbidity and mortality. Global variation in practice exists, with limited Australian data on outcomes following parathyroidectomy., Aim: To evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing surgical parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for SHPT between January 2010 and December 2019 at a single tertiary referral centre in Melbourne, Australia. Biochemical markers and medications were assessed 12 months pre- and post-surgery. Clinical outcomes, including hospital readmission, cardiovascular events and mortality were assessed following surgery., Results: During the 10-year study period, 129 patients underwent parathyroidectomy for SHPT (mean age 50.7 ± 15 years; 109 (85%) on dialysis). Significant immediate post-operative complications were seen in eight (6%) patients, requiring admission to the intensive care unit (n = 6) or return to theatre (n = 2). Within the first 6 months, 24 (19%) patients required hospital readmission. Within 12 months post-parathyroidectomy, 100 (78%) and 103 (80%) patients experienced at least one episode of hypercalcaemia (corrected calcium >2.6 mmol/L) or hypocalcaemia (corrected calcium <2.1 mmol/L) respectively. Over a 12-month period, there were six (5%) deaths and eight (6%) patients experienced a major cardiovascular event., Conclusion: Significant fluctuations in serum calcium levels are common post-parathyroidectomy; however, long-term morbidity and mortality in our cohort were lower than previously reported, highlighting that parathyroidectomy in a carefully selected cohort is safe for severe SHPT refractory to medical treatment., (© 2021 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Plasma approaches metastability with respect to its calcium and phosphate content, with only minor perturbations in ionic activity needed to sustain crystal growth once nucleated. Physiologically, calcium and phosphate are intermittently absorbed from the diet each day, yet plasma concentrations of these ions deviate minimally post-prandially. This implies the existence of a blood-borne mineral buffer system to sequester calcium phosphates and minimise the risk of deposition in the soft tissues. Calciprotein particles (CPP), endogenous mineral-protein colloids containing the plasma protein fetuin-A, may fulfill this function but definitive evidence linking dietary mineral loading with their formation is lacking. Here we demonstrate that CPP are formed as a normal physiological response to feeding in healthy adults and that this occurs despite minimal change in conventional serum mineral markers. Further, in individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), in whom mineral handling is impaired, we show that both fasting and post-prandial levels of CPP precursors are markedly augmented and strongly inversely correlated with kidney function. This study highlights the important, but often neglected, contribution of colloidal biochemistry to mineral homeostasis and provides novel insight into the dysregulation of mineral metabolism in CKD., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Vascular calcification is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with CKD. Evidence-based interventions that may attenuate its progression in CKD remain uncertain., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of prospective clinical trials of interventions to attenuate vascular calcification in people with CKD, compared with placebo, another comparator, or standard of care. We included prospective clinical trials (randomized and nonrandomized) involving participants with stage 3-5D CKD or kidney transplant recipients; the outcome was vascular calcification measured using radiologic methods. Quality of evidence was determined by the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method., Results: There were 77 trials (63 randomized) involving 6898 participants eligible for inclusion (median sample size, 50; median duration, 12 months); 58 involved participants on dialysis, 15 involved individuals with nondialysis CKD, and 4 involved kidney transplant recipients. Risk of bias was moderate over all. Trials involving magnesium and sodium thiosulfate consistently showed attenuation of vascular calcification. Trials involving intestinal phosphate binders, alterations in dialysate calcium concentration, vitamin K therapy, calcimimetics, and antiresorptive agents had conflicting or inconclusive outcomes. Trials involving vitamin D therapy and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors did not demonstrate attenuation of vascular calcification. Mixed results were reported for single studies of exercise, vitamin E-coated or high-flux hemodialysis membranes, interdialytic sodium bicarbonate, SNF472, spironolactone, sotatercept, nicotinamide, and oral activated charcoal., Conclusions: Currently, there are insufficient or conflicting data regarding interventions evaluated in clinical trials for mitigation of vascular calcification in people with CKD. Therapy involving magnesium or sodium thiosulfate appears most promising, but evaluable studies were small and of short duration., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Indigenous Australians are disproportionately affected by end stage kidney disease. Despite this, they face significant delays being assessed and waitlisted for kidney transplant., Aims: To examine the kidney transplant waitlisting process in our region, to compare the workup process between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous patients, and identify major sources of delay., Methods: We analysed the records of all patients being treated by our service who were on the kidney transplant waitlist between January 2017 and June 2018. Between-group differences were used to compare the time between commencement of dialysis and completion of each component of assessment. Patients who had more than 1 year between commencement of dialysis and waitlisting were further analysed for major sources of delay., Results: Twenty-five patients were included (20 Indigenous Australians and 5 non-Indigenous). The median time to waitlisting for transplant after commencing dialysis was significantly longer in the Indigenous group (1215 vs 264 days, P = 0.032). Indigenous Australian patients waited longer before commencing the transplant assessment process and before completing dental assessment, tissue typing and review by the transplant nephrologist and surgeon. Five patients (two Indigenous Australians, three non-Indigenous) were waitlisted within 1 year of commencing dialysis. Among the remaining 20 patients, cardiac and systems issues were the two most common major sources of delay., Conclusion: Indigenous Australian patients face significant delays accessing the kidney transplant waitlist. Cardiac assessment and systems issues are prominent sources of delay and efforts to address these areas may help to improve equity of access to kidney transplantation., (© 2020 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Introduction: Elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with progression of CKD. FGF23 inhibits proximal tubular phosphate reabsorption, raising phosphate concentrations in the tubular fluid of functioning nephrons, predisposing to spontaneous precipitation of calcium phosphate crystals and resultant tubular injury. Calciprotein monomers (CPM) form spontaneously in biological fluids when clusters of calcium phosphate ions are bound by the liver-derived glycoprotein fetuin-A. Serum CPM are elevated in CKD and are postulated to trigger FGF23 secretion. CPM are also readily filtered at the glomerulus into the tubular fluid, suggesting that higher CPM levels could be associated with progression of CKD via FGF23-mediated increased phosphate load but also through direct effects in the proximal tubule., Methods: ACADEMIC was a prospective observational study of 200 stable outpatients with CKD stages 3 and 4. Participants were followed until commencement of dialysis or death. In this study, we examined a sub-cohort of 189 participants who had baseline serum available for measurement of CPM. Cox proportionate hazard regression models were used to examine the association between CPM and a composite kidney disease outcome (commencement of dialysis or reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] >30%). Linear regression models were used to examine the association between CPM and annualized eGFR slope., Results: Relative to the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of CPM was associated with increased risk of the composite kidney disease outcome in univariate models and after sequential adjustment for conventional risk factors for progression of CKD (adjusted hazard ratio 4.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.91, 9.33, p < 0.001). Natural log-transformed CPM was also inversely associated with eGFR slope in univariate and multivariate adjusted models (adjusted β-coefficient -1.66, 95% CI: -3.10, -0.22, p = 0.024). In exploratory mediation analysis, the association between serum CPM and eGFR slope was partially mediated by iFGF23; however, the majority of the association was direct and independent of the iFGF23 pathway., Conclusion: Elevated levels of CPM are associated with the progression of CKD. This association was partially mediated via FGF23, consistent with recent evidence that FGF23 predisposes to spontaneous precipitation of calcium phosphate crystals leading to tubular injury. However, serum CPM also appeared to have a direct association with eGFR slope, raising the possibility that CPM may also be associated with progression of CKD through additional pathways., (© 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: Hyperphosphataemia is associated with increased adverse outcomes, including mortality. Re-examining this association using up-to-date data reflecting current and real-world practices, across different global regions and in both haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients, is important., Methods: We describe the association between serum phosphate and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in incident dialysis patients between 2008 and 2018 using the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry. Time-dependent Cox proportionate hazards models were used. Models were adjusted for available covariates and fitted for the overall cohort, and also each dialysis modality., Results: 31 989 patients were followed over 97 122 person-years at risk (mean age at first dialysis 61 years, 38% female, 67% haemodialysis). We observed a U-shaped association between serum phosphate and all-cause mortality. In the fully adjusted model, categories of serum phosphate above and below 1.25-1.99 mmol/L were associated with progressively higher risk, reaching a hazard ratio of 2.13 (95% CI 1.93-2.36, p < .001) for serum phosphate ≥2.75 mmol/L, and 1.56 (95% CI 1.44-1.69, p < .001) for serum phosphate <1.00 mmol/L. Low and high levels of serum phosphate were also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, however the association with high serum phosphate was more pronounced ("J-shaped relationship"). The associations were consistent across sub-analyses of patients receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatment., Conclusion: In this large contemporary dialysis cohort, both high and low levels of serum phosphate were independently associated with increased risk of mortality. Future studies are required to determine whether treatment of abnormal serum phosphate levels improves mortality., (© 2021 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.)

Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) experience accelerated loss of bone mineral density, which is often accompanied by increased vascular calcification. These disturbances can be attenuated by therapies for inflammation, such as the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor infliximab. Calciprotein particles (CPP) are circulating colloidal aggregates of calcium and phosphate together with the mineral-binding protein fetuin-A, which have emerged as potential mediators of vascular calcification. The precise origins of serum CPP are unclear, but bone turnover may be an important source. In this longitudinal observational study, we studied patients with CID undergoing treatment with infliximab to assess the temporal relationship between bone turnover and circulating CPP. Ten patients with active CID receiving infliximab induction therapy and an additional 3 patients with quiescent CID on maintenance infliximab therapy were studied for 8 weeks with repeated measures of bone turnover markers as well as CPP (calciprotein monomers [CPM], primary CPP [CPP-I], and secondary CPP [CPP-II]). Therapeutic response was appraised using validated disease activity scores. At baseline, those with active CID had elevated markers of bone resorption and suppressed bone formation markers as well as higher CPM and CPP-I compared with those with quiescent CID. In responders, there was an early but transient reduction in resorption markers by week 1, but a more sustained increase in bone formation markers compared with non-responders at week 8. This was accompanied by reductions in CPM (β = -6.5 × 10 3 AU [95% CI -11.1, -1.8], p  = 0.006) and CPP-I (β = -23.4 × 10 4 particles/mL [95% CI -34.8, -11.9], p  < 0.001). In contrast, no significant changes in any markers were observed in non-responders or those receiving maintenance therapy. Thus, CPP have a dynamic association with changes in bone turnover in response to infliximab therapy, adding to accumulating evidence of the role of bone as a determinant of systemic levels. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research., (© 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Introduction: Hemodialysis (HD) with medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzers may expand molecular clearance, predominantly larger middle molecules (molecular weight 25-60 kDa). However, the impact of MCO dialyzers on long-term clearance of various other components of the uremic milieu is unknown. The tRial Evaluating Mid cut-Off Value membrane clearance of Albumin and Light chains in HemoDialysis patients (REMOVAL-HD) provided an opportunity to assess the effect of MCO dialyzers on protein-bound uremic toxins and novel markers of mineral metabolism., Methods: This exploratory sub-study of REMOVAL-HD evaluated changes in protein-bound solutes (total and free indoxyl sulfate [IS] and p-cresyl sulfate [PCS]) and mineral metabolism markers (intact fibroblast growth factor-23 [iFGF23], fetuin-A and endogenous calciprotein particles [CPP-1 and CPP-2]). Mid-week, pre-HD serum samples were collected at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks of MCO use in stable adult patients. Change from baseline to Week 12 and 24 was estimated using linear mixed effects models., Findings: Eighty-nine participants were studied (mean age 67 ± 15 years, 38% female, 51% diabetic, median urine output 200 ml/24 h). Serum iFGF23 was reduced at Week 12 compared to baseline (-26.8% [95%CI -39.7, -11.1], p = 0.001), which was sustained at Week 24 (-21.7% [95%CI -35.7, -4.5], p = 0.012). There was no significant change in serum IS, PCS, fetuin-A, CPP-1, or CPP-2., Discussion: The use of a MCO dialyzer over 24 weeks was associated with a sustained reduction in FGF23, while other measured components of the uremic milieu were not significantly altered. Further studies are required to determine whether FGF23 reduction is associated with improved patient outcomes., (© 2021 International Society for Hemodialysis.)

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to complex bone disease, affecting both trabecular and cortical bone, and increased fracture risk. Optimal assessment of bone in patients with CKD is yet to be determined. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide three-dimensional assessment of bone microarchitecture, as well as determination of mechanical strength with finite element analysis (FEA)., Methods: We conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional study to determine bone microarchitecture with MRI in CKD patients with SHPT undergoing parathyroidectomy. Within two weeks of surgery, MRI was performed at the distal tibia and biochemical markers of SHPT (parathyroid hormone [PTH] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]) were collected. Trabecular and cortical topological parameters as well as bone mechanical competence using FEA were assessed. Correlation of MRI findings of bone was made with biochemical markers., Results: Twenty patients with CKD (15 male, 5 female) underwent MRI at the time of parathyroidectomy (16 on dialysis, 3 with functioning kidney transplant, one pre-dialysis with CKD stage 5). Median PTH at the time of surgery was 138.5 pmol/L [39.6-186.7 pmol/L]. MRI parameters in patients were consistent with trabecular deterioration, with erosion index (EI) 1.01 ± 0.3, and trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) 10.8 ± 2.9%, as well as poor trabecular network integrity with surface-to-curve ratio (S/C) 5.4 ± 2.3. There was also evidence of reduced cortical thickness, with CTh 2.698 ± 0.630 mm, and FEA demonstrated overall poor bone mechanical strength with mean elastic modulus of 2.07 ± 0.44., Conclusion: Patients with severe SHPT requiring parathyroidectomy have evidence of significant changes in bone microarchitecture with trabecular deterioration, low trabecular and cortical bone volume, and reduced mechanical competence of bone., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. NDT has received honoraria, travel support and research funding from Amgen, Shire and Sanofi. PLR has received honoraria and travel support Takeda, Sanofi and Pfizer., (Crown Copyright © 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc.)