First impressions of cardiovascular calcification treatment in hemodialysis patients with a new dialysis fluid containing sodium thiosulphate (STS).

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular calcification (CVC) in hemodialysis patients (HDP) causes cardiovascular pathology. Up until now very few drugs and therapeutic interventions have been able to reduce cardiovascular calcium deposits in hemodialysis patients and the process requires more than a year. Our idea in this study was to test 2 calcium binders--sodium thiosulfate (STS) and dinatrium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (DNEDTA)--for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular calcification of hemodialysis patients, using both substances not as an intravenous infusion but by adding them to the liquid bicarbonate part of the dialysis fluid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 6 HDPs were treated with sodium thiosulphate (STS), 6 with dinatrium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (DNEDTA), and 6 patients served as controls. Electrolytes, liver function, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, bone metabolism, spiral computed tomography (SCT) of coronary CVC and bone densitometry were performed twice (start and end of the study). RESULTS: Starting blood parameters were similar to the end (STS group). No toxic or side effects from STS were observed. Initially in the DNEDTA group all the patients had vomiting so we excluded DNEDTA from the study. SCT found a significant reduction of calcification in 4 patients (STS group) and retardation in 2 patients comparatively to controls. CONCLUSIONS: The first results are hopeful, but the number of the patients was small, so we are enlarging the enrollment in the expectation of corroborating our results soon.