Do most patients with Kidney failure suffer renal bone disease?
Renal bone disease is caused by low levels of calcium and vitamin D in the blood, and by high blood levels of phosphate. It is an important complication of kidney failure, without treatment it can cause bone pain and fractures. Although renal bone disease starts early in kidney failure, it does not usually cause problems until after dialysis has begun. A combination of dialysis and tablets usually reverses these problems but in some cases an operation (called parathyroidectomy) may be necessary.