the effect of vitamin d deficiency treatment on hemoglobin levels in hemodialysis patients: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

Background: the role of vitamin d deficiency and hemoglobin levels in renal anemia is well established. however, few studies with inconsistent findings have examined the relationship between vitamin d supplementation and the prevalence and severity of anemia in the chronic kidney disease. objectives: the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin d deficiency treatment on hemoglobin levels in hemodialysis patients. methods: the present study was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial on 60 hemodialysis patients aged 18 - 83 years, who were undergoing maintenance dialysis and receiving erythropoietin. all patients with vitamin d (< 30 ng/ml) referred to the dialysis wards of imam khomeini, razi, and sina hospitals in ahvaz in 2019, were assigned into two groups. one group was treated with 500 mg oral calcium-d tablets three times a day, and another group was treated with 50,000 units of d-pearls weekly. the two groups were treated for 12 weeks. then they were re-evaluated in terms of response to treatment and the rate of improvement in hemoglobin levels and erythropoietin dose. results: in each intervention group, vitamin d levels increased significantly (p < 0.001). d-pearls improved vitamin d deficiency; however, the difference was not statistically significant. this study also showed a significant increase in hemoglobin (> 1 unit) in the calcium-d group; however, such a change was not observed in the d-pearls group (p = 0.3824). moreover, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of erythropoietin dose (p = 0.98), blood calcium level (p = 0.57), parathyroid level (p = 0.20), and phosphorus (p = 0.99). conclusions: despite its significant limitations,this study revealed vitamin d supplements improved vitamin d deficincy, and calcium-d tablets could improve hemoglobin levels in patient.