Reinhard M, et al. - Researchers sought to assess the acute handling of a mineral load in hemodialysis (HD) patients vs healthy subjects. A decrease in plasma phosphate and no change in ionized calcium despite increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) were noted to be paradoxically induced by mineral load in HD patients. These findings suggested that excess calcium and phosphate may be disposed of by mineral deposition, which may include soft tissue and vascular calcification.