The investigation and treatment of renal bone disease.

Neutron activation analysis of a hand has been used to monitor changes in skeletal calcium content of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Assessed by this technic supplementary magnesium therapy was of value of reducing the progressive losses of skeletal calcium in a proportion of the patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Oral calcium supplements produced a decrease in the skeletal calcium losses of all the patients studied. 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol, a potent vitamin D analogue, caused a significant increase in the calcium content of bone in three patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis; it may prove to be a safe and effective form of therapy for azotemic osteodystrophy.