New Directions in Phosphorus Management in Dialysis

Current phosphate management strategies in end-stage renal disease (dietary phosphate restriction, dialysis, and phosphate binders) are inadequate to maintain target phosphate levels in most patients. Dietary phosphate restriction is challenging due to “hidden phosphates” in processed foods, and dialysis and phosphate binders are insufficient to match average dietary phosphate intake. As phosphate binders must be taken with each meal, patients need to ingest many, large pills several times a day, negatively impacting quality of life. Recent advances in our understanding of phosphate absorption pathways have led to the development of new nonbinder therapies that block phosphate absorption. This review describes the limitations of current phosphate management strategies and discusses new therapies in development that inhibit phosphate absorption pathways. These new therapies present an opportunity to rethink phosphate management, potentially by prescribing phosphate absorption inhibitors as a primary therapy and adding phosphate binders if needed.