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Introduction: Elevated serum parathormone (PTH) levels have been observed in acute kidney injury and are related to calcium-phosphate metabolism disturbance, decreased renal production of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3, impaired renal PTH excretion, and other renalindependent factors. There are no data regarding PTH concentration kinetics in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) in an intensive care setting. The primary objective of this study was to investigate trends in PTH serum levels in critically ill patients with multiorgan failure undergoing CRRT, by performing periodic PTH measurements in the acute phase of critical illness. Material and methods:This was a single-centre, prospective, observational study conducted in an mixed, university-affiliated intensive care unit. Critically ill patients who fulfilled all of the following criteria were included: respiratory failure; circulatory failure; acute kidney injury treated by CRRT; and sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA score) of 5 or more.Patients who met any of the following criteria were excluded: acute liver failure; hypercalcemia at admission (total calcium serum level > 10.6 mg/dL; total ionized calcium plasma level > 1.35 mmol/L); parathyroid gland disease; end-stage renal disease; patients undergoing therapeutic plasma exchange or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation procedures; aged under 18 years; pregnant; and life expectancy after admission to the intensive care unit anticipated to be less than 72 hours as assessed by the investigator.Results: Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. A statistically significant change in PTH over time was observed (Friedman ANOVA; p = 0.0001). The post-hoc test showed a statistically significant decrease in PTH: measurements 5-8 relative to measurement 1, and measurements 4-8 relative to measurement 2 (p < 0.05). No significant correlations between 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 deficiency, age, diagnosis, SOFA score, and PTH levels were observed.A statistical test indicated that serum concentrations of PTH were significantly higher in the de novo sepsis group (p < 0.05). Conclusions:The PTH serum concentration decreases during the course of CRRT in the majority of patients. When the course of the disease starts to be complicated by sepsis, PTH serum levels then remain high. A probable reason for this is the existence of the inflammatory state triggered by sepsis.

Vitamin D is recognised as having two main func tions in humans. In the classic function, vitamin D is responsible for extracellular calcium metabolism, namely intestinal absorption and musculoskele tal milieu homeostasis [1-3]. In the pleiotropic (nonskeletal) function, it resembles a hormonal mechanism of action. Vitamin D binds to genomic sequences, known as vitamin D response elements, that are scattered in the body, and subsequently regulates gene expression. Specific vitamin D re ceptors are omnipresent in most human tissues. Vitamin D response elements are capable of subse quently modifying cellular processes such as prolife ration, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, hor

Introduction: There is no data in the literature regarding trends in parathormone serum concentration assessment in critically ill patients. The aim: To assess the parathyroid hormone plasma concentrations and kinetics in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit due to multiorgan failure. Materials and methods: Thirty multiorgan failure (at least circulatory and respiratory failure) patients were included. Patients who met any of the following criteria were excluded: acute liver failure, end stage renal disease, hypercalcemia, parathyroid gland disease, severe vitamin D deficiency, admission from another ICU or readmission, age younger than 18 years, or lack of consent from relatives. We performed the parathyroid hormone plasma measurements in 12-hour time intervals. Results: The initial parathyroid hormone plasma concentration levels in the study group were rather variable and medians exceeded laboratory reference values. Especially in the acute kidney injury subpopulation treated with continuous renal replacement therapy these trends were emphasized. The initial parathyroid hormone plasma concentration levels in this group significantly exceeded laboratory reference values in 80% of patients. After initial spike we observed subsequent drop between second and third measurement. The distribution of plasma levels was rather variable between second and third measurement in this group of patients. Conclusions: The parathyroid hormone plasma concentration levels in the critically ill patients are variable. In the acute kidney injury subpopulation treated with continuous renal replacement therapy after initial significant spike we observed subsequent drop between second and third measurement.