Kids Kidney Research

Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and begins early in its course. Low vitamin D levels lead to release of parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH leaches calcium and phosphate from the bones and deposits them in the blood vessels, causing hardening of the arteries and risk of cardiovascular disease. We are, therefore, running a randomised trial of nutritional vitamin D supplements to see if we can prevent the development of high PTH levels. Recently a new factor, FGF23, has been identified to also play a role from the earliest stages of development of high PTH levels.

We therefore wish to find out more about this hormone by measuring it in the samples that we are already taking during our vitamin D study. We hope that a better understanding of the evolution of the processes causing mineral and bone disorders will enable the future development of new and more targeted therapies to prevent bone and cardiovascular disease.

 This project is being co-funded by Kids Kidney Research and Kidney Research UK.