A Study of Oral Ergocalciferol to Treat Pruritis in Hemodialysis Patients

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2012-02-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Pruritis (itching) is common in many people with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. There may be many different reasons for the pruritis. Efforts to treat the problem have not been very effective.

Vitamin D levels have been found to be low in many hemodialysis patients. Since vitamin D plays an important role in the skin and is effective in treatment of certain skin conditions that involve pruritis, it may have a role in treatment of pruritis in hemodialysis patients.

The objective of the investigators study is to determine the effect of supplementation with oral vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) on pruritis in hemodialysis patients.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Winthrop University Hospital
• Collaborator: National Kidney Foundation
• Treatments: Ergocalciferols; Vitamin D

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Hemodialysis treatment for > 3 months

2. Subjective complaint of excessive itching

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Age < 18 years

2. Failure to provide informed consent

3. Intact PTH < 70 pg/ml or > 1,000 pg/ml

4. Serum phosphorus > 7.0

5. Serum calcium (adjusted for albumin)> 11

6. Active malignancy

7. Likelihood of imminent renal transplantation

8. Current ergocalciferol treatment