3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Patients with kidney failure have underlying bone disease at the time of transplant. Fractures of various bones can be as high as 22%. Medication required for the transplant plays a role in bone loss. Bisphosphonates are used in the general population to treat bone loss of osteoporosis and steroid-induced bone loss. While previous studies, using various bisphosphonates, have shown preservation of bone mineral density in renal transplant recipients, we have demonstrated that pamidronate, a second generation bisphosphonate, is associated with low bone turnover while still preserving bone mineral density. Improved bone mineral density is associated with decreased fracture risk in the general population, while low bone turnover may be associated with increased fracture in dialysis patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether risedronate, a third generation bisphosphonate, is effective in preserving bone density when given prophylactically following renal transplantation and whether it is associated with low bone turnover at one year following renal transplantation.
This is a Phase 2 Multi-Center Clinical Trial (safety and effectiveness trial) in 60 patients (40 denosumab; 20 placebo) who have had a kidney transplant for 12-months or longer with more than 30% of kidney function. The investigators will test whether denosumab safely improves bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and improves bone strength by high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in the subset of patients recruited at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. These data will inform the development and execution of a larger trial to test if denosumab prevents fractures in kidney transplant recipients.
Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is common in people with a kidney transplant. Patients with HPT often have high parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and may have large parathyroid glands in the neck. Patients with HPT can develop bone disease (osteodystrophy). This bone disease can cause bone pain, fractures, and poor formation of red blood cells. Other problems from HPT may include increases in blood levels of calcium (hypercalcemia) and low blood levels of phosphorus (hypophosphatemia). The high calcium levels may cause calcium to deposit in body tissues. Calcium deposits can cause arthritis (joint pain and swelling), muscle inflammation, itching, gangrene (death of soft tissue), heart and lung problems or kidney transplant dysfunction (worsening of kidney transplant function). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of cinacalcet (Sensipar/Mimpara) on high calcium levels in the blood in patients with HPT after a kidney transplant.