Activated vitamin D is the mainstay of treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in chronic hemodialysis patients. However, the optimal route of administration is still debated. The aim of the study was to compare efficacy of oral vs intravenous (IV) administration of alfacalcidol in hemodialysis. A secondary objective was to determine the cost-effectiveness advantage of oral administration. Eighty-eight chronic hemodialysis patients receiving IV alfacalcidol three times a week were included in the study.
All were switched to the same dose of alfacalcidol given orally three times a week during the hemodialysis session. A budget impact analysis was performed. Mean patient age was 64 years old and 43% were males. The mean alfacalcidol dose administered was 2.1 ?g three times a week. After three months, serum parathormone (PTH) levels decreased from 80 to 59 pmol/L (p =?0.001) and…