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Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients with COVID-19, the Effect of Paricalcitol or Calcimimetics.
Arenas Jimenez, MD, González-Parra, E, Riera, M, Rincón Bello, A, López-Herradón, A, Cao, H, Hurtado, S, Collado, S, Ribera, L, Barbosa, F, et al
Nutrients. 2021;(8)
Abstract
BACKGROUND In COVID-19 patients, low serum vitamin D (VD) levels have been associated with severe acute respiratory failure and poor prognosis. In regular hemodialysis (HD) patients, there is VD deficiency and markedly reduced calcitriol levels, which may predispose them to worse outcomes of COVID-19 infection. Some hemodialysis patients receive treatment with drugs for secondary hyperparathyroidism, which have well known pleiotropic effects beyond mineral metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of VD status and the administration of active vitamin D medications, used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism, on survival in a cohort of COVID-19 positive HD patients. METHODS A cross-sectional retrospective observational study was conducted from 12 March to 21 May 2020 in 288 HD patients with positive PCR for SARS-CoV2. Patients were from 52 different centers in Spain. RESULTS The percent of HD patients with COVID-19 was 6.1% (288 out of 4743). Mortality rate was 28.4% (81/285). Three patients were lost to follow-up. Serum 25(OH)D (calcidiol) level was 17.1 [10.6-27.5] ng/mL and was not significantly associated to mortality (OR 0.99 (0.97-1.01), p = 0.4). Patients receiving active vitamin D medications (16/94 (17%) vs. 65/191(34%), p = 0.003), including calcimimetics (4/49 (8.2%) vs. 77/236 (32.6%), p = 0.001), paricalcitol or calcimimetics (19/117 (16.2%) vs. 62/168 (36.9%); p < 0.001), and also those on both paricalcitol and calcimimetics, to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPTH) (1/26 (3.8%) vs. 80/259 (30.9%), p < 0.001) showed a lower mortality rate than patients receiving no treatment with either drug. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed this increased survival. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the use of paricalcitol, calcimimetics or the combination of both, seem to be associated with the improvement of survival in HD patients with COVID-19. No correlation was found between serum VD levels and prognosis or outcomes in HD patients with COVID-19. Prospective studies and clinical trials are needed to support these findings.
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Moderate salt restriction with or without paricalcitol in type 2 diabetes and losartan-resistant macroalbuminuria (PROCEED): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.
Parvanova, A, Trillini, M, Podestà, MA, Iliev, IP, Ruggiero, B, Abbate, M, Perna, A, Peraro, F, Diadei, O, Rubis, N, et al
The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology. 2018;(1):27-40
Abstract
BACKGROUND Macroalbuminuria predicts renal and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to assess the albuminuria-lowering effects of salt restriction, paricalcitol therapy, or both, in this population. METHODS In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, we recruited adult patients with type 2 diabetes from six diabetology outpatient clinics in northern Italy, with 24 h albuminuria of more than 300 mg despite 100 mg per day losartan therapy, blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg, serum creatinine concentration of less than 2 mg/dL, stable renal function on stable renin-angiotensin system inhibitor therapy with a fixed dose of losartan, parathyroid hormone concentration of 20 pg/mL to <110 pg/mL, serum calcium concentration of less than 9·5 mg/dL, and serum phosphate concentration of less than 5 mg/dL, who had been more than 80% compliant with placebo treatment during a 1 month placebo run-in. We allocated patients 1:1 with computer-generated randomisation to an open-label 3 month high-sodium (>200 mEq [4·8 g] per day) or low-sodium (<100 mEq [2·4 g] per day) diet and, within each diet group, to a 1 month double-blind treatment period of oral paricalcitol (2 μg per day) or placebo, followed by 1 month of placebo washout and then a further 1 month double-blind treatment period of paricalcitol or placebo in which patients crossed over to the opposite treatment period. The primary outcome was 24 h albuminuria (median of three consecutive measurements). Analyses were modified intention-to-treat (including all randomly allocated patients who took at least one dose of study drug and had an efficacy measurement after the first treatment period). Patients and investigators were masked to paricalcitol and placebo assignment. Those assessing outcomes were masked to both study drug and diet assignment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01393808, and the European Union Clinical Trials Register, number 2011-001713-14. FINDINGS Between Dec 13, 2011, and Feb 17, 2015, we randomly allocated 57 (50%) patients to a low-sodium diet (28 [49%] to paricalcitol then placebo and 29 [51%] to placebo then paricalcitol) and 58 (50%) to a high-sodium diet (29 [50%] to paricalcitol then placebo and 29 [50%] to placebo then paricalcitol). In the low-sodium group (30 mEq of daily sodium intake reduction, equivalent to approximately 1·7-1·8 g per day), 24 h albuminuria was reduced by 36·6% (95% CI 28·5-44·9) from 724 mg (441-1233) at baseline to 481 mg (289-837) at month 3 (p<0·0001), but no significant change occurred in the high-sodium group (from 730 mg [416-1227] to 801 mg [441-1365]; 2·9% [-16·8 to 16·4] increase; p=0·50). Changes between diet groups differed by 32·4% (17·2-48·8; p<0·0001) and correlated with changes in natriuresis (r=0·43; p<0·0001). On the high-sodium diet, paricalcitol reduced the salt-induced albuminuria increase by 17·8% (3·9-32·3) over the month of treatment compared with placebo (p=0·02), whereas on the low-sodium diet, paricalcitol did not have a significant effect versus placebo (increase of 4·1% [-9·3 to 21·6]; p=0·59). During placebo treatment, albuminuria decreased with the low-sodium diet (p=0·0002) and did not significantly change with the high-sodium diet, but changes were significantly different between diet groups (p=0·0004). Treatment was well tolerated and no patients withdrew from the study because of treatment-related effects. 67 adverse events occurred in 52 (45%) patients during paricalcitol treatment and 44 events occurred in 36 (31%) patients during placebo treatment. During paricalcitol therapy, 14 cases of hypercalciuria, six cases of hypercalcaemia, and five cases of hyperphosphataemia were reported in one patient each, all of which were possibly treatment related. One case of hypercalciuria was reported in one patient during the placebo treatment period. One stroke and one coronary event occurred during paricalcitol therapy. No patients died during the study. INTERPRETATION In patients with macroalbuminuria and type 2 diabetes, moderate salt restriction enhances the antialbuminuric effect of losartan, an effect that could be nephroprotective and cardioprotective in the long term. The finding that paricalcitol prevents a sodium-induced increase in albuminuria provides support for trials to test the long-term risk-benefit profile of paricalcitol add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and macroalbuminuria refractory to dietary salt restriction, including patients refractory to even moderate salt restriction. FUNDING AbbVie.
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Effects of Vitamin D Receptor Activation and Dietary Sodium Restriction on Residual Albuminuria in CKD: The ViRTUE-CKD Trial.
Keyzer, CA, van Breda, GF, Vervloet, MG, de Jong, MA, Laverman, GD, Hemmelder, MH, Janssen, WM, Lambers Heerspink, HJ, Kwakernaak, AJ, Bakker, SJ, et al
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. 2017;(4):1296-1305
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Abstract
Reduction of residual albuminuria during single-agent renin-angiotensin-aldosterone blockade is accompanied by improved cardiorenal outcomes in CKD. We studied the individual and combined effects of the vitamin D receptor activator paricalcitol (PARI) and dietary sodium restriction on residual albuminuria in CKD. In a multicenter, randomized, placebo (PLAC)-controlled, crossover trial, 45 patients with nondiabetic CKD stages 1-3 and albuminuria >300 mg/24 h despite ramipril at 10 mg/d and BP<140/90 mmHg were treated for four 8-week periods with PARI (2 μg/d) or PLAC, each combined with a low-sodium (LS) or regular sodium (RS) diet. We analyzed the treatment effect by linear mixed effect models for repeated measurements. In the intention-to-treat analysis, albuminuria (geometric mean) was 1060 (95% confidence interval, 778 to 1443) mg/24 h during RS + PLAC and 990 (95% confidence interval, 755 to 1299) mg/24 h during RS + PARI (P=0.20 versus RS + PLAC). LS + PLAC reduced albuminuria to 717 (95% confidence interval, 512 to 1005) mg/24 h (P<0.001 versus RS + PLAC), and LS + PARI reduced albuminuria to 683 (95% confidence interval, 502 to 929) mg/24 h (P<0.001 versus RS + PLAC). The reduction by PARI beyond the effect of LS was nonsignificant (P=0.60). In the per-protocol analysis restricted to participants with ≥95% compliance with study medication, PARI did provide further albuminuria reduction (P=0.04 LS + PARI versus LS + PLAC). Dietary adherence was good as reflected by urinary excretion of 174±64 mmol Na+ per day in the combined RS groups and 108±61 mmol Na+ per day in the LS groups (P<0.001). In conclusion, moderate dietary sodium restriction substantially reduced residual albuminuria during fixed dose angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. The additional effect of PARI was small and nonsignificant.
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Effect of Vitamin D Receptor Activation on the AGE/RAGE System and Myeloperoxidase in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.
Torino, C, Pizzini, P, Cutrupi, S, Tripepi, R, Vilasi, A, Tripepi, G, Mallamaci, F, Zoccali, C
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. 2017;:2801324
Abstract
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) activation has been reported to increase circulating levels of the advanced glycation end products (AGE) and their decoy receptor (RAGE). However, until now, the effect of VDR activation on AGE and RAGE has not been tested in the setting of a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. We have therefore analyzed the effect of VDR activation by paricalcitol on pentosidine, S100A12/ENRAGE, and RAGE and on established biomarkers of oxidative stress like myeloperoxidase in CKD patients in the PENNY trial. At baseline, human S100A12/ENRAGE, RAGE, and myeloperoxidase, but not pentosidine, were intercorrelated, and the association between S100A12/ENRAGE and myeloperoxidase (r = 0.71, P < 0.001) was the strongest among these correlations. Paricalcitol failed to modify biomarkers of the AGE/RAGE system and myeloperoxidase in unadjusted and adjusted analyses by the generalized linear model (GLM). No effect modification by other risk factors was registered. Paricalcitol does not modify biomarkers of the AGE/RAGE system and myeloperoxidase in CKD patients. The apparent increase in RAGE levels by VDR activation reported in previous uncontrolled studies is most likely due to confounding factors rather than to VDR activation per se. This trial is registered with NCT01680198.
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Comparison of paricalcitol with maxacalcitol injection in Japanese hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.
Akizawa, T, Akiba, T, Hirakata, H, Kinugasa, E, Tominaga, Y, Fukagawa, M, Yokoyama, K, Zhang, W, Linde, PG, Suzuki, M
Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis : official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy. 2015;(3):225-34
Abstract
Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is one of the major complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Calcitriol, a non-selective vitamin D receptor agonist (VDRA) that suppresses iPTH is used for SHPT treatment, but its use is frequently complicated by hypercalcemia. Paricalcitol, a selective VDRA, demonstrated efficacy in iPTH suppression compared to maxacalcitol in a Phase 2 study (M11-609) in Japanese subjects. The current larger Phase 3 study (M11-517), evaluated the efficacy of intravenous paricalcitol injection compared to intravenous maxacalcitol injection with respect to iPTH and calcium control using a non-inferiority primary endpoint. In this double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study, eligible Japanese CKD subjects with SHPT on hemodialysis were randomized 1:1 to receive intravenous paricalcitol or intravenous maxacalcitol injections for 12 weeks. Dynamic allocation of subjects on the basis of screening iPTH levels was used to ensure equal distribution of subjects with iPTH <500 pg/mL and ≥500 pg/mL into the two treatment groups. 255 subjects were randomized to receive paricalcitol (N = 127) or maxacalcitol (N = 128). Primary efficacy analysis indicated that 27.7% in the paricalcitol group vs. 30.5% in the maxacalcitol group (95% CI -14.34% to 8.79%, P = 0.353) achieved target iPTH in the last 3 weeks without hypercalcemia during treatment, failing to achieve the non-inferiority margin of -5% that was set based upon agreement with the PMDA. Both intravenous paricalcitol and maxacalcitol were effective in reducing iPTH and provided similar safety profiles; however, non-inferiority for paricalcitol vs. maxacalcitol was not demonstrated.
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A randomized multicenter trial of paricalcitol versus calcitriol for secondary hyperparathyroidism in stages 3-4 CKD.
Coyne, DW, Goldberg, S, Faber, M, Ghossein, C, Sprague, SM
Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN. 2014;(9):1620-6
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Calcitriol is used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with CKD. Paricalcitol is less calcemic and phosphatemic in preclinical studies and in some trials in dialysis patients, but head-to-head comparisons in nondialysis patients are lacking. A large meta-analysis of trials concluded that these agents did not consistently reduce parathyroid hormone (PTH) and increased the risk of hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. Therefore, the objective of this multicenter trial was to compare the rate of hypercalcemia between calcitriol and paricalcitol, while suppressing PTH 40%-60%. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Patients with stages 3-4 CKD (n=110) with a PTH level >120 pg/ml were recruited and randomized to 0.25 μg/d of calcitriol or 1 μg/d of paricalcitol between April 2009 and July 2011. Subsequent dose adjustments were by protocol to achieve 40%-60% PTH suppression below baseline. The primary endpoint was the rate of confirmed hypercalcemia of >10.5 mg/dl between groups. RESULTS Forty-five patients in each group completed the 24 weeks of treatment. Both agents suppressed PTH effectively (-52% with paricalcitol and -46% with calcitriol; P=0.17), although the paricalcitol group reached a 40% reduction in PTH sooner at a median 8 weeks (interquartile range [IQR], 4, 12) versus 12 weeks (IQR, 8, 18; P=0.02) and had a lower pill burden of 240 (IQR, 180, 298) versus 292 (IQR, 231, 405; P=0.01). Confirmed hypercalcemia was very low in both groups (three with paricalcitol and one with calcitriol) and was not significantly different (P=0.36). Both groups had small increases in calcium and phosphorus levels (0.3-0.4 mg/dl in each electrolyte) and significant decreases in alkaline phosphatase, a marker of high bone turnover, with no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS These results show that both calcitriol and paricalcitol achieved sustained PTH and alkaline phosphatase suppression in stages 3-4 CKD, with small effects on serum calcium and phosphorus and a low incidence of hypercalcemia.
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Paricalcitol- or cinacalcet-centred therapy affects markers of bone mineral disease in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism receiving haemodialysis: results of the IMPACT-SHPT study.
Cozzolino, M, Ketteler, M, Martin, KJ, Sharma, A, Goldsmith, D, Khan, S
Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association. 2014;(4):899-905
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this Phase 4 international study, efficacy and safety of paricalcitol-centred therapy were compared with that of cinacalcet-centred therapy for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients undergoing haemodialysis (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00977080). METHODS Patients ≥ 18 years of age with Stage 5 CKD and SHPT [intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level of 300-800 pg/mL, calcium level of 8.4-10.0 mg/dL and phosphate concentration of ≤ 6.5 mg/dL] who were undergoing haemodialysis were included. Patients were randomized by mode of paricalcitol administration [i.e. intravenous (IV) or oral strata] to receive paricalcitol- or cinacalcet-centred therapy for ≤ 28 weeks. Changes in metabolic markers [total alkaline phosphatase (AP), bone-specific AP and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23)] and the proportion of patients in each treatment group who achieved an iPTH level of 150-300 pg/mL during Weeks 8, 16 and 21-28 as a composite value were evaluated. RESULTS Compared with cinacalcet-centred therapy, levels of both bone turnover markers were significantly reduced from baseline with IV and oral paricalcitol-centred treatment (P < 0.05 for both dosing strata) at Weeks 8, 16 and 28. Levels of FGF-23 were increased with paricalcitol versus cinacalcet-centred treatment. A greater proportion of patients receiving paricalcitol-centred therapy achieved target iPTH levels (i.e. 150-300 pg/mL) throughout the study in the IV and oral dosing strata compared with patients receiving cinacalcet-centred treatment. CONCLUSIONS In patients with CKD and SHPT undergoing haemodialysis, paricalcitol-centred therapy reduced circulating bone turnover markers and iPTH levels and increased FGF-23 levels compared with cinacalcet-centred treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00977080.
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Effects of paricalcitol on calcium and phosphate metabolism and markers of bone health in patients with diabetic nephropathy: results of the VITAL study.
Coyne, DW, Andress, DL, Amdahl, MJ, Ritz, E, de Zeeuw, D
Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association. 2013;(9):2260-8
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BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with elevations in serum phosphate, calcium-phosphorus product and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), with attendant risks of cardiovascular and bone disorders. Active vitamin D can suppress parathyroid hormone (PTH), but may raise serum calcium and phosphate concentrations. Paricalcitol, a selective vitamin D activator, suppressed PTH in CKD patients (stages 3 and 4) with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) with minimal changes in calcium and phosphate metabolism. METHODS The VITAL study enrolled patients with CKD stages 2-4. We examined the effect and relationship of paricalcitol to calcium and phosphate metabolism and bone markers in a post hoc analysis of VITAL. The study comprised patients with diabetic nephropathy enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of paricalcitol (1 or 2 μg/day). Urinary and serum calcium and phosphate, serum BAP, and intact PTH (iPTH) concentrations were measured throughout the study. RESULTS Baseline demographics and calcium, phosphate, PTH (49% with iPTH <70 pg/mL), and BAP concentrations were similar between groups. A transient, modest yet significant increase in phosphate was observed for paricalcitol 2 μg/day (+0.29 mg/dL; P < 0.001). Dose-dependent increases in serum and urinary calcium were observed; however, there were few cases of hypercalcemia: one in the 1-μg/day group (1.1%) and three in the 2-μg/day group (3.2%). Significant reductions in BAP were observed that persisted for 60 days after paricalcitol discontinuation (P < 0.001 for combined paricalcitol groups versus placebo). Paricalcitol dose-dependent reductions in iPTH were observed. Paricalcitol in CKD patients (±SHPT) was associated with modest increases in calcium and phosphate. CONCLUSION Paricalcitol reduces BAP levels, which may be beneficial for reducing vascular calcification. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00421733.
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Phase II open label, multi-center clinical trial of modulation of intermediate endpoint biomarkers by 1α-hydroxyvitamin D2 in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer and high grade pin.
Gee, J, Bailey, H, Kim, K, Kolesar, J, Havighurst, T, Tutsch, KD, See, W, Cohen, MB, Street, N, Levan, L, et al
The Prostate. 2013;(9):970-8
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BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and second leading cause of cancer related deaths in American men supporting the study of prostate cancer chemoprevention. Major risk factors for this disease have been associated with low serum levels of vitamin D. Here, we evaluate the biologic activity of a less calcemic vitamin D analog 1α-hydroxyvitamin D2 [1α-OH-D2] (Bone Care International, Inc.) in patients with prostate cancer and high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HG PIN). METHODS Patients with clinically organ-confined prostate cancer and HG PIN were randomized to 1α-OH-D2 versus placebo for 28 days prior to radical prostatectomy. Intermediate endpoint biomarkers included serum vitamin D metabolites, TGFß 1/2, free/total PSA, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, bFGF, and VEGF. Tissue endpoints included histology, MIB-1 and TUNEL staining, microvessel density and factor VIII staining, androgen receptor and PSA, vitamin D receptor expression and nuclear morphometry. RESULTS The 1α-OH-D2 vitamin D analog was well tolerated and could be safely administered with good compliance and no evidence of hypercalcemia over 28 days. While serum vitamin D metabolite levels only slightly increased, evidence of biologic activity was observed with significant reductions in serum PTH levels. TGF-ß2 was the only biomarker significantly altered by vitamin D supplementation. Whether reduced TGF-ß2 levels in our study is an early indicator of response to vitamin D remains unclear. CONCLUSIONS While further investigation of vitamin D may be warranted based on preclinical studies, results of the present trial do not appear to justify evaluation of 1α-OH-D2 in larger clinical prostate cancer prevention studies.
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Vitamin D reduces left atrial volume in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and chronic kidney disease.
Tamez, H, Zoccali, C, Packham, D, Wenger, J, Bhan, I, Appelbaum, E, Pritchett, Y, Chang, Y, Agarwal, R, Wanner, C, et al
American heart journal. 2012;(6):902-9.e2
Abstract
BACKGROUND Left atrial enlargement, a sensitive integrator of left ventricular diastolic function, is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D is linked to lower cardiovascular morbidity, possibly modifying cardiac structure and function; however, firm evidence is lacking. We assessed the effect of an activated vitamin D analog on left atrial volume index (LAVi) in a post hoc analysis of the PRIMO trial (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00497146). METHODS AND RESULTS One hundred ninety-six patients with chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate 15-60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)), mild to moderate left ventricular hypertrophy, and preserved ejection fraction were randomly assigned to 2 μg of oral paricalcitol or matching placebo for 48 weeks. Two-dimensional echocardiography was obtained at baseline and at 24 and 48 weeks after initiation of therapy. Over the study period, there was a significant decrease in LAVi (-2.79 mL/m(2), 95% CI -4.00 to -1.59 mL/m(2)) in the paricalcitol group compared with the placebo group (-0.70 mL/m(2) [95% CI -1.93 to 0.53 mL/m(2)], P = .002). Paricalcitol also attenuated the rise in levels of brain natriuretic peptide (10.8% in paricalcitol vs 21.3% in placebo, P = .02). For the entire population, the change in brain natriuretic peptide correlated with change in LAVi (r = 0.17, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS Forty-eight weeks of therapy with an active vitamin D analog reduces LAVi and attenuates the rise of BNP. In a population where only few therapies alter cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality, these post hoc results warrant further confirmation.