| [ Summary ] |
Hyperparathyroidism is one of the important complications which occurs in patients on long-term dialysis treatment. It has been shown that parathyroid hormone (PTH) acts not only on the primary organs (bone and kidney), but also on the secondary organs as well. Moreover, with progress in molecular technology, it has recently been observed that PTH receptors are present in a number of tissues unrelated to calcium homeostasis. The role of hyper secretion and/or retention of PTH in the development of several symptoms of uremic syndrome, for example encephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy, hematological disorders, cardiomyopathy, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism has been clarified. These reports suggest that PTH affects the function of many organs as an uremic toxin through calcium-dependent and cytotoxic mechanisms, and thus may contribute to pleiotrophic organ dysfunction in uremia. |