Cinacalcet should not be used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease

Coyne, Daniel W

DW Coyne is Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.

Correspondence Washington University School of Medicine 660 South Euclid Avenue Campus Box 8129 St Louis MO 63110 USA [email protected]

Received 7 February 2008

Accepted 20 March 2008

Published online 13 May 2008

www.nature.com/clinicalpractice doi:10.1038/ncpneph0821

Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology 4(7):p 364-365, July 2008. | DOI: 10.1038/ncpneph0821

In the first of two opposing Viewpoints, Daniel W Coyne questions the use of cinacalcet to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in non-dialysis-dependent patients with chronic kidney disease. He highlights the absence of FDA approval and the lack of published data for cinacalcet in this setting. Cinacalcet does not, he argues, address a universal pathophysiologic feature of secondary hyperparathyroidism; in addition, it has considerable adverse effects.