Skeletal growth in uremia.

Stable long-term chronic renal failure in the growing Sprague Dawley rat causes marked bone disease with impaired mineralization (i.e. rickets) and evidence of increased parathyroid hormone activity. Although significant bone disease is present, the rate of longitudinal growth is not diminished in preterminal renal failure. However, it is significantly diminished in terminal renal failure, when uremic rats are compared with sham-operated control rats at identical levels of food intake. At identical levels of food intake, weight gain is also diminished in rats with terminal uremia as compared with sham-operated control rats, suggesting increased calorie cost for growth.