Diagnosis and Management of Mineral Metabolism in CKD

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects over 26 million Americans and is frequently complicated early in its course by disordered mineral metabolism and metabolic bone disease. Since CKD-related bone loss is often indistinguishable from osteoporosis by standard bone densitometry, many CKD patients may be inappropriately treated with bisphosphonates rather than CKD-specific therapies.