Influence of extracorporeal dialysis on parathyroid hormone secretion in patients with acute renal failure.

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) was estimated in 30 patients with renal failure before and after haemodialysis. All patients were anuric or oliguric at the time of the investigation. Pre-dialysis iPTH values were significantly elevated (3.4 ng/ml) as compared with normal subjects (less than 0.5 ng/ml). Simultaneously, a significant hypocalcaemia (4.15 mEq/litre) was confirmed which was negatively correlated with iPTH levels. After 7-8 h of haemodialysis using a calcium concentration of 4.0 mEq/litre in the dialysate, a significant drop of iPTH level to 1.8 ng/ml was noted.