Hypercalcemia. A complication of advanced chronic liver disease

The changing profile of hypercalcemia in a tertiary care setting in North India: an 18-month retrospective study

This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the profile of hypercalcemia in all patients who presented to Medanta-The Medicity, a tertiary care hospital in North India. A total of 255,830 patients presented to the hospital during 1^st January 2014 till 30^th June 2015 (18 months). Among them calcium measurement was done in 26,297 (10.2%) patients. A total of 552 patients was found to have hypercalcemia. Among them, 15 (2.7%) patients had transient hypercalcemia and 537 (97.3%) had sustained hypercalcemia. The incidence of hypercalcemia was 2.09%, being transient in 0.05% and sustained in 2.04%. The most common causes in the sustained group were malignancy (23.1%) followed by primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT, 21.9%). Most cases of PHPT were asymptomatic. Interestingly, we found emergence of two unusual groups of hypercalcemia, namely hypercalcemia of advanced chronic liver disease (n = 34) and vitamin D toxicosis (n = 21) in the non-parathyroid group of hypercalcemia. This changing pattern of hypercalcemia should be kept in mind while evaluating a patient of hypercalcemia in a hospital setting.

Hypercalcemia of advanced chronic liver disease: a forgotten clinical entity!

Hypercalcemia caused by advanced chronic liver disease (CLD) without hepatic neoplasia is uncommonly reported and poorly understood condition. We are reporting two cases of advanced CLD who developed hypercalcemia in the course of the disease. This diagnosis of exclusion was made only after meticulous ruling out of all causes of hypercalcemia. The unique feature of this type of hypercalcemia is its transient nature that may or may not require treatment. This clinical condition in patients with CLD should be kept in mind while evaluating the cause of hypercalcemia in them.

Liver transplantation-associated hypercalcemia followed by acute renal dysfunction

A 34-year-old woman with liver insufficiency due to glycogen storage disease III underwent a living spousal liver transplantation. Soon after the successful operation, moderate hypercalcemia along with hyperbilirubinemia emerged without clarified reasons. The hypercalcemia persisted for over a month despite calcitonin treatment and the serum calcium level surged to 13.2 mg/dl with albumin correction. Renal dysfunction was indicated by an acute increase in serum creatinine (approximately 0.8 to approximately 2.8 mg/ml), which was assumed to be hypercalcemia-induced and was effectively treated with bisphosphonate, pamidronate (30 mg, i.v.). Recent topics related to transplantation-associated hypercalcemia are discussed.

Effect of recent alcohol intake on parathyroid hormone and mineral metabolism in men

The mechanisms by which alcohol intake, particularly moderate alcohol intake, effects bone metabolism are poorly defined. We have examined the relationship between mineral metabolism and recent self-reported alcohol intake (SRAI) across a wide range of such intakes in a series of 104 men aged 32 to 78 years of age in an outpatient setting. A morning nonfasting urine, serum specimen and recent SRAI were obtained from each subject. SRAI was reported as between 0 and 45 oz/week. SRAI correlated positively with liver function tests, including serum bilirubin (r = 0.30, p = 0.002), alkaline phosphatase (r = 0.30, p = 0.004), and aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT) (r = 0.29, p = 0.006). SRAI correlated with serum calcium corrected for albumin (r = -0.39, p < 0.001), estradiol (r = 0.43, p < 0.001), and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) (r = -0.51, p < 0.001), as well as urinary calcium (per 100 mg of creatinine) (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). We have arbitrarily divided the participants into two groups on the basis of their reported alcohol intake. Individuals in the first group had intakes ranging from none to moderate intake (drank 8.4 oz or less of ethanol per week, equivalent to an average of two drinks daily or less). Those in the second group had moderate or heavier intake, with >8.4 oz of ethanol intake/week. Mean serum iPTH was significantly greater in those in the first group (none to moderate), compared with the second group (moderate or heavier) (56.0 +/- 3.4 and 39.9 +/- 2.0 pM/liter, respectively). Calcium corrected for serum albumin was significantly greater in individuals in the first, compared with the second, group (9.23 +/- 0.05 vs. 8.88 +/- 0.07 mg/dl, respectively). In addition, urinary calcium (corrected per 100 mg of creatinine) was significantly lower in the former, compared with the latter (3.1 +/- 0.4 vs. 8.4 +/- 1.1 mg/100 mg of creatinine, respectively). Similarly, urinary excretion of collagen crosslinks (corrected per 100 mg of creatinine) was significantly less in men in the second group, compared with the first group (316 +/- 38 vs. 530 +/- 78 nM/100 mg of creatinine, respectively). Not surprisingly, a series of correlations between iPTH and age, 250-hydroxyvitamin D, and testosterone were significant in individuals with none to moderate SRAI, but not moderate or heavier SRAI. Significant independent predictors of serum iPTH in the entire group of men were age (beta = 0.215, p = 0.025), SRAI (beta = -0.281, p = 0.003), 250-hydroxyvitamin D (beta = -0.309, p = 0.002), and testosterone (beta = -184, p = 0.048). We have concluded that, in free-living men, alcohol intake >8.4 oz/week was associated with decreased serum iPTH concentrations.

Hypercalcaemia in rheumatoid arthritis revisited

The prevalence and mechanisms of hypercalcaemia were studied in a series of patients attending a regional referral centre for rheumatic diseases. In a prospective study one case of hypercalcaemia due to primary hyperparathyroidism was found in 251 consecutive patients who were screened over a three month period. In a retrospective study of 39 patients who had been discovered to be hypercalcaemic during the preceding 12 months known cases of hypercalcaemia were found in 38 (97%) cases. Primary hyperparathyroidism was the most common cause (n = 24; 62%), followed by thiazide treatment in five (13%), cancer in three (8%), immobility in three (8%), vitamin D toxicity in two (5%), and chronic liver disease in one (3%). In one case the diagnosis remained unclear after full investigation. This study shows that the causes of hypercalcaemia in rheumatological patients are similar to those in the general population. These observations contrast with previous reports, which suggested that hypercalcaemia may be a complication of rheumatoid arthritis itself.

Hypercalcaemia associated with chronic viral hepatitis

A patient with long lasting non-parathyroid hormone mediated hypercalcaemia occurring within the context of hepatitis B virus chronic hepatitis is reported. Hepatocellular carcinoma and bone malignancy were carefully excluded. The biological pattern associated hypercalcaemia with normal phosphataemia, low nephrogenic cAMP level and high level of tubular reabsorption of phosphate. The usual causes of hypercalcaemia were ruled out. Hypercalcaemia may represent a rare biological feature of some advanced liver disease. The underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.