Renal phosphate wasting after successful kidney transplantation: 1-alpha vitamin D therapy in patients with normal parathyroid gland activity.

1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol was tried as a therapy for renal phosphate wasting in kidney allograft recipients with normal parathyroid gland activity. During a 3-week period of treatment we observed a significant rise in renal phosphate threshold concentrations and plasma phosphate levels paralleled by a significant decrease in serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone levels and a significant increase in intestinal calcium absorption. It is suggested that 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol acts on renal phosphate handling in a dual fashion: one is by suppression of parathyroid hormone and the other by restoration of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol levels to an appropriate level.