The Direct Effect of Calcium on the Hyperparathyroidism of Chronic Renal Failure Available to Purchase

1. The direct effect of calcium on the hyperparathyroidism of chronic renal failure was studied in rats with induced chronic renal failure, who were fed on a diet low in phosphate and who received supplemental phosphate by injection. They were given a normal (0·8%), or low (0·1%) or high (1·7%) calcium diet.

2. The animals on the low calcium diet had larger parathyroids and more severe bone disease at the end of 4 weeks, indicating the importance of calcium intake in directly influencing the degree of hyperparathyroidism.

3. Increasing the calcium content of the diet from 0·8% to 1·7% produced no additional benefits.