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Denosumab linked to severe hypocalcemia in dialysis-dependent seniors
Medical Xpress / HealthDay / JAMA ^ | Jan. 23, 2024 | Elana Gotkine / Steven T. Bird et al / Pascale Khairallah et al

Posted on 01/28/2024 9:10:43 PM PST by ConservativeMind

For female dialysis-dependent patients aged 65 years or older treated for osteoporosis, denosumab is associated with an increased incidence of severe or very severe hypocalcemia, according to a study.

Steven T. Bird, Ph.D., Pharm.D. and colleagues examined the incidence and comparative risk for severe hypocalcemia with denosumab versus oral bisphosphonates in a retrospective cohort study involving female dialysis-dependent Medicare patients aged 65 years or older treated for osteoporosis. The main outcomes were severe hypocalcemia, defined as total albumin-corrected serum calcium <7.5 mg/dL or a primary hospital or emergency department hypocalcemia diagnosis, and very severe hypocalcemia (serum calcium <6.5 mg/dL).

Overall, 607 of 1,523 denosumab-treated patients and 23 of 1,281 oral bisphosphonate-treated patients developed severe hypocalcemia in the unweighted cohorts. The researchers found that the 12-week weighted cumulative incidence of severe hypocalcemia was 41.1 and 2.0% with denosumab and oral bisphosphonates, respectively (weighted risk ratio, 20.7). The 12-week weighted cumulative incidence of very severe hypocalcemia was 10.9 and 0.4% with denosumab and oral bisphosphonates, respectively (weighted risk ratio, 26.4).

"Given the complexity of diagnosing the underlying bone pathophysiology in dialysis-dependent patients, the high risk posed by denosumab in this population, and the complex strategies required to monitor and treat severe hypocalcemia, denosumab should be administered after careful patient selection and with plans for frequent monitoring," the authors write.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: dialysis; hypocalcemia
It would seem either more calcium is needed, or a switch to oral bisphosphonates may be needed, if low blood calcium is a concern with denosumab and dialysis.

Of course, it could mean other supporting nutrients could also be needed, if staying with denosumab.

1 posted on 01/28/2024 9:10:43 PM PST by ConservativeMind
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To: Mazey; ckilmer; goodnesswins; Jane Long; BusterDog; jy8z; ProtectOurFreedom; matthew fuller; ...

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2 posted on 01/28/2024 9:11:22 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

bookmark


3 posted on 01/28/2024 9:22:08 PM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: ConservativeMind

If there were a law that prevented a person from taking any drugs they couldn’t pronounce then the world would be a lot healthier place.


4 posted on 01/28/2024 11:37:08 PM PST by who_would_fardels_bear (What is left around which to circle the wagons?)
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To: ConservativeMind

I had the opposite problem on dialysis. My calcium was through the roof, in part thanks to my high phosphorus levels. I was always itchy, and I STILL have osteoporosis from my body taking calcium from my bones to deal with the phosphorus. Adding calcium didn’t help, as it just made its way into my soft tissue and blood.


5 posted on 01/28/2024 11:49:57 PM PST by Tacrolimus1mg (Do no harm, but take no sh!t.)
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