Hyperphosphatemia in Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Trial
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) commonly have high concentrations of
phosphorous, a mineral, in the blood (hyperphosphatemia). This is a result of their inability
to excrete phosphorous by the kidneys. This in turn may result in the development of a
condition known as secondary hyperparathyroidism and renal osteodystrophy or bone disease. As
such, these patients often receive medications known as phosphate binders such as calcium
carbonate or acetate, sevelamer, aluminum hydroxide and lanthanum carbonate to manage and
treat hyperphosphatemia.
Lanthanum carbonate is a newly available phosphate binding agent that is effective in the
management of hyperphosphatemia and preventing secondary hyperparathyroidism. It works in the
gastrointestinal tract by binding to the phosphorus in the diet. ESRD patients taking
lanthanum carbonate are counseled to chew the tablets completely before swallowing, with or
immediately after meals. However, patients who are intubated or receiving nutrition via
feeding tubes are unable to chew the tablets. For these patients, medications are commonly
crushed and administered via the tube. Moreover, some patients prefer to crush the tablets
and mix it with food instead of chewing. To date, it is not known if crushing the lanthanum
carbonate tablets prior to administration and taking it with food would be as effective as
chewing them.
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of phosphate binding between chewed and
crushed lanthanum carbonate tablets.
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