De Novo Hypercalcaemia in a Patient With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism
2024

Hypercalcaemia in a Patient with Chronic Hypoparathyroidism

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Sola-Oladokun Babasola, Usman Muhammad, Manning Sean

Primary Institution: Mallow General Hospital/University College Cork, Cork, IRL

Hypothesis

What causes hypercalcaemia in a patient with chronic hypoparathyroidism?

Conclusion

The patient's hypercalcaemia was likely due to sarcoidosis rather than vitamin D over-supplementation.

Supporting Evidence

  • The patient had a history of chronic hypoparathyroidism treated with vitamin D.
  • Hypercalcaemia was persistent despite stopping vitamin D supplementation.
  • CT and PET scans showed bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, ruling out malignancy.
  • Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme was elevated, suggesting sarcoidosis.
  • The patient responded well to steroid therapy, normalizing serum calcium levels.

Takeaway

A 73-year-old man with a history of low calcium levels developed high calcium levels due to a condition called sarcoidosis, which was treated with steroids.

Methodology

Case report detailing the patient's medical history, symptoms, and treatment.

Limitations

The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was not confirmed by biopsy as the patient did not consent to the procedure.

Participant Demographics

73-year-old male with a history of chronic hypoparathyroidism and other medical conditions.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.7759/cureus.74923

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