Phosphate Metabolism Modulation in Chronic Kidney Disease: When, How and to What Extent?

Numerous observations have repeatedly shown that serum phosphorous is associated with poor survival (1). In a large cohort of 1,716 chronic kidney disease (CKD) referred to a Nephrology Center in Emilia Romagna, Italy (2), we investigated the robustness of the association between serum levels of phosphate and the risk of death by any cause or dialysis inception (2). Overall, we analyzed men (66% male) and women of 70 years of age [mean (standard deviation): age 70 (13.6) years] with CKD stage 4 [median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): 25 mL/min/1.73m2] (2).