Abstract:Objective To discuss the efficacy and safety of Calcitriol injection and oral pulse therapies in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). Methods Forty hemodialysis patients with SHPT but without hypercalcemia or hyperphosphatemia were randomly assigned into intravenous Calcitriol group (group A) and oral Calcitriol pulse group (group B), and accepted treatment for 12 weeks. Serum iPTH, alkaline phosphatase (AKP), calcium and phosphorus of the two groups were monitored before treatment and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment. The side effects and symptom improvement were also recorded. Results After 4 weeks of treatment, serum iPTH level was significantly reduced in both groups (p < 0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment, the AKP level decreased significantly in both groups (p < 0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, serum iPTH of the group A decreased significantly compared to the group B, the difference was still significant until the end of treatment (p < 0.05). Serum calcium tended to increase in the later treatment in both groups, the group B had significant changes in serum calcium (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum phosphorus before and after treatment in the two groups. Clinical symptoms such as osteodynia, restless legs, pruritus and anemia were improved to various degrees in both groups, while more significant improvement in pruritus was observed in the group A (p < 0.05). Conclusions Oral pulse and intravenous Calcitriol therapies can effectively decrease the levels of iPTH and AKP in chronic hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism, and relieve osteodynia and pruritus. Hypercalcemia is the main side effect. Intravenous Calcitriol has more rapid and significant effect compared with oral pulse therapy, rarely causes hypercalcemia, has better compliance at the end of hemodialysis, and is safe and convenient for maintenance hemodialysis patients.