Severe neonatal hypercalcemia caused by subcutaneous fat necrosis without any apparent cutaneous lesion

Subcutaneous fat necrosis is a classic, albeit uncommon, cause of neonatal hypercalcemia. It occurs in newborn infants within the first month of life following a complicated delivery. The diagnosis is usually easy because of the presence of red-purple plaques in fatty areas along with firm subcutaneous nodules. A 1-month-old neonate, born strangled by her umbilical cord, presented with diarrhea and hypercalcemia (3.46 mM) with an initial physical examination considered normal. Her biological evaluations were as follows: P = 1.37 mM (1.6–2.2); PTH = 3 ng/L (12–65); 25-OH vitamin D = 87 nM (23–113); (1,25)-OH₂ vitamin D = 192 ng/L (20–46). The third day, a careful exam of the whole cutaneous surface revealed small firm subcutaneous nodules in the ischial region. Despite the absence of any visible skin modification, the association of perinatal stress and high (1,25)-OH₂ vitamin D level with subcutaneous nodules led to the diagnosis of subcutaneous fat necrosis. She was treated with oral prednisone for 45 days. Serum calcium levels normalized within a week, and the nodules disappeared without complications. Conclusion: Subcutaneous fat necrosis may induce severe hypercalcemia without any visible cutaneous lesion. No funding or grant was received for this study.     

Calcium-Induced Natriuresis: Physiologic and Clinical Implications

Assessment of the tubular reabsorption of calcium (Ca) by infusion is complicated by suppression of parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, and by activation of the serpentine Ca sensing receptor in the renal tubule, which inhibits Ca and sodium reabsorption, but little is known about the magnitude of the natriuretic effect of Ca in human subjects. Accordingly, we reanalyzed the relationship between serum Ca and urine Ca and sodium excretion expressed per unit of creatinine clearance (CaE and NaE), and per unit of time (UCa and UNa), during a standard Ca infusion, in 14 healthy volunteers and in 8 primary hyperparathyroid patients. In healthy subjects we observed a large effect of Ca infusion on NaE, which rose as high as 8 mmol/liter GFR. In patients with primary hyperparathyroidism both CaE and NaE during Ca infusion were significantly lower overall than in healthy subjects for comparable values of serum Ca (P < 0.05 by covariance analysis), due mainly to a decline or reversal of the slopes at the highest serum Ca levels. In both controls and primary hyperparathyroid subjects the variance of CaE as dependent variable was explained by both serum Ca and by NaE as independent variables (P < 0.001). We conclude that (1) The natriuretic effect of hypercalcemia was unexpected large and if maintained would lead to substantial depletion of extracellular fluid. (2) Patients with chronic hypercalcemia, including primary hyperparathyroidism, probably have mild sodium depletion, and are more susceptible to volume depletion. (3) Calcium reabsorption during Ca infusion is reduced by suppression of PTH secretion and increased by volume contraction due to sodium depletion. Discrimination between different basal levels of parathyroid function is successful because these effects usually cancel out. (4) The increase in tubular reabsorption of Ca due to volume contraction can initiate a vicious circle, of importance to the pathogenesis and treatment of severe hypercalcemia. Received: 11 May 1999 / Accepted: 13 January 2000     

甲状旁腺素相关肽与肿瘤

甲状旁腺素相关肽(PTHrP)参与调节钙磷代谢和多器官的生长发育,在恶性肿瘤发生骨转移和高钙血症过程中发挥重要作用.越来越多的研究证实PTHrP可以由多种类型的肿瘤细胞分泌,参与调节肿瘤细胞的增殖、侵袭,并与患者预后密切相关,为肿瘤治疗提供了新的靶点.     

Richter's Syndrome manifested as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the mandible with lytic lesions and hypercalcemic crisis

Richter's Syndrome (RS) is a transformation from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into more aggressive lymphoma. RS occurs in about 5% of patients with CLL and its clinical outcome is poor. Extranodal involvements of RS may be present in up to 40% of patients and central nervous system manifestation was found to be the most common. Mandibular localization of RS has not been reported so far. There is no established standard treatment for RS. The improvement of survival in RS patients is achievable with intensive anti-lymphoma chemotherapy and subsequent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) performed in complete remission. Herein we report a female with RS of the right mandible and hypercalcemia was its first clinical manifestation.     

Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn

Subcutaneous fat necrosis (SCFN) is a rare fat tissue inflammation of the newborn. Risk factors include cord prolapse, perinatal asphyxia, therapeutic hypothermia, meconium aspiration, and sepsis. When present, hypercalcemia comes with lethargy, hypotonia, irritability, vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, constipation, and dehydration. Kidney injury must be avoided. SCFN is often completely autoresolutive.     

低钙透析联合个体化碳酸钙及骨化三醇在维持性血液透析患者中的应用

目的探讨低钙透析液联合个体化碳酸钙及骨化三醇在维持性血液透析患者中的应用价值。方法选择进行血液透析治疗3个月以上的慢性肾功能衰竭患者50例,所有患者均选用Ca^2＋为1．25mmol／L的透析液进行透析;根据钙磷乘积水平将患者分为正常组和升高组,并根据全段甲状旁腺激素（iPTH）水平分为4组：A组（〈100pg／ml）、B组（100～300pg／ml）、C组（300～1000pg／ml）、D组（〉1000pg／ml）;根据钙磷乘积和iPTH分组予个体化碳酸钙及骨化三醇治疗;监测所有患者治疗前和治疗后第4、8、12、16、24周时的iPTH、血钙、血磷、钙磷乘积及碱性磷酸酶（ALP）水平。结果（1）治疗后第12、16、24周时的总体血钙水平均较治疗前明显增高（均P〈0．01）;治疗后第8、12、16、24周时的总体血磷、iPTH水平和钙磷乘积均较治疗前明显降低（均P〈0．01）;治疗前、后的总体ALP水平的差异均无统计学意义（均P〉0．05）。（2）A组与B组治疗前、后iPTH水平的差异均无统计学意义（均P〉0．05）,其余各组间iPTH水平的差异均有统计学意义（均P〈0.05或0.01）,A、B、C组与D组间ALP水平的差异均有统计学意义（均P〈0．01）;钙磷乘积正常组和升高组治疗前后血磷和钙磷乘积水平的差异均有统计学意义（均P〈0．01）。（3）随着治疗时间的延长,高钙血症的发生率有增加的趋势,但整体差异均无统计学意义（均P〉0．05）。结论低钙透析联合个体化碳酸钙及骨化三醇可有效降低维持性血液透析患者iPTH、血磷及钙磷乘积水平,但仅对于iPTH〉300Pg／ml及钙磷乘积升高者有效。