Anemia, Vitamin D Deficiency
Conditions
Brief summary
While vitamin D supplementation is safe and effective in repleting vitamin D levels in dialysis patients, the impact on anemia is unknown. The majority of hemodialysis patients require erythropoietin supplementation to maintain their serum hemoglobin between 11 and 12 gm/dL, a drug that is both costly and associated with significant side effects. If repletion of vitamin D significantly decreases erythropoietin requirements in hemodialysis patients, it would result in a substantial reduction in patient care costs. Our aim is to study the impact of ergocalciferol supplementation in hemodialysis patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency. The investigators anticipate approximately 30% reduction in erythropoietin dose requirement in our hemodialysis population.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Kaiser Permanente
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* All hemodialysis patients at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center with vitamin D deficiency \[defined by 25-hydroxyvitamin D level less than 30 ng/ml\]
Exclusion criteria
* Non-renal causes of anemia (myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma, pure red cell aplasia, thallassemia, and sickle cell anemia) * Active cancer * AIDS * refused erythropoeitin, intravenous iron or vitamin D analogs in the past * no erythropoeitin requirement for greater than 6 weeks
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| erythropoietin dosage | 6 months |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed