[Secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on long-term hemodialysis].

Evidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was evaluated in 233 autopsied patients with uremia (of whom 115 patients had been treated with long-term haemodialysis). Morphology of parathyroid glands correlates with serum level of immunoreactive parathormone. Extraskeletal soft tissue calcification was observed in three different forms: 1st calcifying arteriopathy, 2nd paraarticular soft-tissue calcification and 3rd classic metastatic calcification. Hypocalcemia may lead to any of these 3 forms of tissue calcification and only local factors play a decisive role in determining which type actually occurs. Arteriopathy and paraarticular calcification of soft tissues belong to calciphylaxis and different challenger factors are presumed.