Hypercalcemia is a common complication in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients treated with calcium-containing phosphate binders and using the standard dialysate calcium concentration of 3.5 mEq/L (SCa). Lowering the dialysate calcium was proposed to overcome this problem. The current randomized controlled multicenter study was designed to investigate efficiency and safety of a low calcium dialysate (2.00 mEq/L; LCa) compared with SCa (3.5 mEq/L) in CAPD patients. After an 8-week run-in period, 103 stable CAPD patients, 68 men, 35 women, aged 54.5 years (range, 20 to 77)) were randomly allotted to treatment with either LCa or SCa. All patients received calcium carbonate as oral phosphate binder to achieve serum phosphate levels < 6.2 mg/dL. If persistent hypercalcemia arose, CaCO3 was replaced by Al(OH)3 until normocalcemia was achieved. All patients received 0.25 microgram calcitriol/d. Parameters monitored included total and ionized serum calcium, serum phosphate, phosphate binder intake, incidence of hypercalcemia, serum aluminium, intact parathyroid hormone (1,84PTH), osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, bone mineral density and hand skeletal x-ray. Primary end points were (a) number of hypercalcemic episodes, (b) tolerated doses of calcium-containing phosphate binders, and (c) 1,84PTH. After 6 months of therapy, total and ionized calcium were lower in LCa patients (total Ca:9.6 v 10.08 mEq/L, P = 0.005; iCa: 4.76 v 5.15 mg/dL; P = 0.013). In the LCa group, significantly fewer episodes of hypercalcemia were recorded (total S-calcium > 10.8 mg/dL: LCa 24 v SCa 86 episodes; P < 0.005). Use of LCa permitted the administration of more CaCO3 (mean daily tablet number: LCa, 5.9 v SCa, 4.2; P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)