Effectiveness of 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 in children with renal osteodystrophy associated with hemodialysis.

Two children who were receiving maintenance hemodialysis were treated with 1 to 4 microng/day of 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 for 500 to 700 days, respectively. Sequential parathyroid hormone levels and radiologic evaluations showed considerable improvement in one patient. The second patient initially responded with healing of the bone disease. Subsequent deterioration may be related either to medical noncomplicance and/or interference by diphenylhydantoin in the subsequent hepatic 25-hydroxylation of 1 alpha-OH-D3.