4. Calcitriol versus other active vitamin D preparations.

Outcome	GFRD Study 1990	Hodson 1985	Salusky 2005a Doxercalciferol treatment	Salusky 2005b Calcitriol treatment	Summary estimatea
PTH (pg/mL)	Not reported	0.87 ± 0.44b versus 1.35 ± 0.89c	Graphical data only	Graphical data only	MD ‐0.48 (‐1.23 to 0.27)
Number with Improved histology	Not reported	7/8 versus 4/7	Not reported	Not reported	RR 1.53 (0.77 to 3.06)
Height velocity ≥ expected	Positive growth scores with both treatments	1/8 versus 4/7	Not reported	Not reported	RR 0.22 (0.03 to 1.53)
Hypercalcaemic patients	No difference in number of episodes	6/8 versus 3/7	17 in sevelamer treatedb versus 48 episodes in CaCO3 treatedc	17 in sevelamer treatedb versus 48 episodes in CaCO3 treatedc	RR 1.75 (0.68 to 4.50)
GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2)	Fell in both groups	Not reported	Peritoneal dialysis patients	Peritoneal dialysis patients	Not calculated
Calcium (mmol/L)	Not reported	2.63 ± 0.10 versus 2.45 ± 0.20	Graphical data only	Graphical data only	MD 0.18 (0.01 to 0.35)
Phosphorus (mmol/L)	Not reported	1.59 ± 0.30 versus 1.93 ± 0.47	Graphical data only	Graphical data only	MD ‐0.34 (‐0.76 to 0.08)
ALP (U/L)	Not reported	169 ± 58 versus 208 ± 84	Graphical data only	Graphical data only	MD ‐39.00 (‐116.63 to 38.63)
Bone formation rate (µm3/µm2/d)	Not reported	Not reported	60 ± 97 versus 53 ± 100	62 ± 201 versus 45 ± 73	MD 10.29 (‐53.07 to 73.65)
Osteoid volume (%)	Not reported	Not reported	11.1 ± 19.8 versus 10.8 ± 10.4	8.2 ± 20.1 versus 8.9 ± 14.3	MD ‐0.16 (‐9.16 to 8.83)
Eroded bone surface (%)	Not reported	Not reported	7.9 ± 9.7 versus 7.3 ± 15.6	8.6 ± 12.8 versus 7.7 ± 11.6	MD 0.76 (‐6.16 to 7.71)
Bone volume (%)	Not reported	Not reported	29.9 ± 17.3 versus 28.2 ± 15.9	30.3 ± 44.5 versus 26 ± 24.9	MD 2.19 (‐9.12 to 13.91)

^a Summary estimate (RR, RD, MD) and 95% CI

^b Experimental intervention

^c Comparative intervention

ALP ‐ alkaline phosphatase; GFR ‐ glomerular filtration rate; PTH ‐ parathyroid hormone