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PLoS One 2022 18;17(5):e0268643. Epub 2022 May 18.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Dschang, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon.

Introduction: Hypocalcaemia remains a prevalent laboratory finding in pregnancy, capable of inducing adverse maternofoetal outcomes. This study compares the prevalence of hypocalcaemia in apparently healthy pregnant women from the ionised, and total calcaemia viewpoints and further identifies factors associated with total crude and ionised hypocalcaemia in pregnancy.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and September 2021, targeting apparently healthy pregnant women received in late pregnancy in four maternities in the Nkongsamba Health District, Cameroon. Read More

Am J Surg 2022 May 6. Epub 2022 May 6.

Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States. Electronic address:

Background: The role of preoperative parathyroid localization for tertiary hyperparathyroidism(tHPT) is unclear. We reviewed our experience regarding the feasibility of parathyroidectomy without preoperative localization.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of renal allograft recipients who underwent parathyroidectomies (2001-2019). Read More

Forensic Sci Int 2022 May 2;336:111323. Epub 2022 May 2.

School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. Electronic address:

Thymic hypoplasia is a primary cellular immunodeficiency that causes susceptibility to serious infections leading to sudden death in infants. Some genetic disorders in humans could result in the evident permanent hypoplasia or occasional aplasia of the thymus at birth. However, determining the genetic etiology of thymic hypoplasia is challenging for the sudden infant death due to primary cellular immunodeficiency. Read More

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2022 May;58(3):141-145

From the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

A 2 mo old domestic shorthair kitten was presented for acute respiratory distress and severe ambulatory difficulties. Thoracic radiography revealed hyperinflation of the left cranial lung lobe and a mass with soft-tissue/gas opacity in the caudal mediastinum, leading to the suspicion of congenital lung lobe emphysema and hiatal hernia. Decreased bone radiopacity and suspected pathological fractures were also present. Read More

J Pharm Technol 2022 Apr 26;38(2):119-126. Epub 2022 Jan 26.

Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA.

Objective: The purpose of this review is to discuss the existing literature regarding patients who have experienced seizures after administration of a bone density conservation agent (BDCA).

Data Sources: A comprehensive literature review was performed between September and October 2021 using the following keywords: osteoporosis/drug therapy, seizures/chemically induced, hypercalcemia, hypocalcemia, osteoporosis, seizure risk, osteoclast medication, seizures, bisphosphonates, risedronate, zoledronic acid, pamidronate, denosumab, Prolia, Xgeva, calcitonin, BDCAs.

Study Selection And Data Extraction: A total of 90 articles were identified, but only 6 articles met prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Apr 24;11(9). Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Heraklion, 715 00 Heraklion, Greece.

Background: Postoperative hypocalcemia is one of the most common complications after total thyroidectomy. Parathormone (PTH) and calcium levels, measured several hours after surgery, have been suggested as valuable markers for detecting patients at risk for post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. We aimed to determine if early post-surgery PTH and calcium levels can be used for the early identification of patients at risk for symptomatic hypocalcemia. Read More

Nutrients 2022 May 1;14(9). Epub 2022 May 1.

Andrology Section, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nuclear Medicine Service, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires PC C1199ABB, Argentina.

A worldwide high prevalence of vitamin D (VD) deficiency has become of growing concern because of potential adverse effects on human health, including pregnant women and their offsprings. Beyond its classical function as a regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism, together with its fundamental role in bone health in every stage of life, its deficiency has been associated to multiple adverse health effects. The classic effects of VD deficiency in pregnancy and neonates have been late hypocalcemia and nutritional rickets. Read More

Nutrients 2022 Apr 26;14(9). Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Center of Excellence of Bariatric Surgery of the Italian Society of Obesity Surgery and Metabolic Disease (SICOB), Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggid'Aragona, P.O. Gaetano FucitoMercato San Severino, 84085 Salerno, Italy.

Background: Hypoparathyroidism-related hypocalcemia is a common complication after total thyroidectomy (TT), particularly if there is a history of prior bariatric surgery. However, it is still unknown if it is the surgery timing or the type of bariatric intervention that increases the risk of developing this complication.

Methods: We compared the risk of hypocalcemia (serum calcium levels < 8 mg/dL) and hypoparathyroidism (both transient and permanent) between patients with restrictive procedures (LSG and GB) and patients without a history of obesity surgery in the immediate post-operative period and after 12 months. Read More

Nephrol Dial Transplant 2022 May 13. Epub 2022 May 13.

Department of Physiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Background: Hypomagnesemia with secondary hypocalcemia (HSH) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in TRPM6, encoding the channel-kinase Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin type 6. Patients have very low serum Mg2+ levels and suffer from muscle cramps and seizures. Despite genetic testing, a subgroup of HSH patients remains without diagnosis. Read More

Arch Endocrinol Metab 2022 May 12. Epub 2022 May 12.

Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istanbul, Turkey.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by systolic dysfunction and is usually idiopathic. A rare cause of reversible DCM is hypocalcemia. Calcium plays a key role in myocardial contraction. Read More

Br J Nutr 2022 May 13:1-23. Epub 2022 May 13.

Senior resident, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India. Email-

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of daily versus weekly oral vitamin D3 therapy in radiological healing of nutritional rickets. Children 6 months to 12 years (n=132) diagnosed with nutritional rickets were randomized into three groups (n=44) Group A- 2000IU daily vitamin D3 for 12 weeks, B- 60,000 IU weekly for 3 weeks, C- 60,000 IU weekly for 6 weeks. Serum calcium, phosphorus, 25 OH)D, parathyroid hormone and X-ray score were estimated at baseline and 12 weeks (endline). Read More

Cureus 2022 Apr 7;14(4):e23938. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Pediatrics, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre/SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, IND.

Background: To assess the change in serum total calcium levels during light-emitting diode phototherapy treatment for jaundice in term neonates.

Methods: A prospective observational study was done on 104 term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia in a tertiary care center to investigate the effects of phototherapy using a light-emitting diode device. The total serum bilirubin along with total calcium levels was measured at the start and at the end of phototherapy. Read More

S Afr J Infect Dis 2022 26;37(1):359. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Critical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: Age, body mass index (BMI) and pre-existing comorbidities are known risk factors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study we explore the relationship between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 11;12(1):7781. Epub 2022 May 11.

Department of Nephrology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.

Denosumab is reported to increase bone mineral density (BMD) among haemodialysis patients; however, hypocalcaemia is a serious adverse effect among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Identifying which patients will show greater improvement in BMD is important. We enrolled 84 haemodialysis patients with osteoporosis in our study. Read More

Am J Surg 2022 Apr 25. Epub 2022 Apr 25.

Department of General Surgery, Division of Oncologic and Endocrine Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA.

Background: This study evaluated bone health outcomes of parathyroidectomy in elderly primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) patients.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of parathyroidectomy patients with pHPT at a single institution from 2010 to 2019. Bone mineral density (BMD) improvements at postoperative dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were analyzed between groups aged ≥75 and < 75 years using 1:1 matching on preoperative BMD. Read More

Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl 2021 Sep-Oct;32(5):1407-1417

Department of Nephrology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) treated by hemodialysis (HD) is a worldwide major public health problem. Its incidence is getting higher and higher, leading to an alarming social and economic impact. The survival of these patients is significantly low, especially during the first year of treatment. Read More

Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl 2021 Sep-Oct;32(5):1235-1242

Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with bone and mineral disturbances in the form of renal osteodystrophy. The American College of Rheumatology Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis 2017 recommend against treatment with denosumab in adult patients who have received an organ transplant and who are continuing treatment with glucocorticoids due to lack of adequate safety data on infections in adults treated with multiple immunosuppressive agents. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the safety of denosumab in patients with CKD, especially in a group of patients who received immunosuppressive medications, and to assess the rate of infections in such group in comparison to patients with normal renal function. Read More

Arch Clin Cases 2022 6;9(1):19-23. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Department of Cardiology, Echocardiography and Cardiac Imaging. Centro Hospitalario Serena del Mar, Colombia.

Calcium has a significant effect on cells in the myocardium, affecting conduction, intracellular signaling and contraction of muscle fibers. In fact, calcium levels could affect myocardial action potential and affect heart conduction. Hypocalcemia manifest on ECG with arrythmias or QT prolongation, in some extraordinary cases, it could present with variations in the ST segment, which requires the study of differential diagnoses of cardiac origin, such as acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation (STEMI) or pericarditis. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2022 May 5;531:375-381. Epub 2022 May 5.

Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System, 800 Poly Place, Brooklyn, NY, USA.

Background: Low ionized calcium (I) is prevalent and prognostic in critical care, but poorly detected by either total calcium (T) or albumin-corrected T (cT). We recently derived models of I (Pred-I) and low I (Prob) in critical care that adjust T for binding to albumin and small anions-represented by the anion gap's components. On internal validation, they outperformed cT in diagnosing low I. Read More

Indian J Crit Care Med 2022 Mar;26(3):302-306

Department of Nephrology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America.

Background: Maintaining homeostasis is an integral part of all physiological processes both in health and disease including critically ill patients and may impact clinical outcomes. The present study was designed to assess prevalence of serum calcium, phosphate, vitamin-D3, FGF-23, and PTH levels abnormalities in AKI.

Patients And Methods: Single-center, prospective, observational study in a tertiary care hospital. Read More

Cureus 2022 Apr 3;14(4):e23791. Epub 2022 Apr 3.

Internal Medicine, MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna, IND.

Identifying the etiology of a new-onset seizure can be challenging due to the extraordinarily large number of differential diagnoses. Electrolyte disturbances, through a mechanism of disruption of neurotransmission within the central nervous system, are often implicated as a possible etiology in many cases of seizures. In this report, we describe the sequence of events related to a 68-year-old patient who suffered from convulsions precipitated by hypomagnesemia and the possible contributors to such a condition. Read More

Sisli Etfal Hastan Tip Bul 2022 28;56(1):161-165. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.

Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis is also known as infantile malignant osteopetrosis (IMO). The clinical course is often serious and if left untreated, it is fatal in the 1st year of life. Diagnosis is challenging and often delayed or misdiagnosed. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2022 Jun 5;60(6):672-680. Epub 2022 May 5.

Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.

Introduction: Enemas containing phosphate are widely prescribed and may cause important adverse effects. A systemic review published in 2007 reported the literature on the adverse effects of phosphate enemas from January 1957 to March 2007 and identified 12 deaths. These were thought due to electrolyte disturbances, heart failure and kidney injury. Read More

J Endocr Soc 2022 Jun 4;6(6):bvac052. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

South Med J 2022 May;115(5):304-309

From the Department of Surgery, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey.

Objectives: Thyroidectomies involve meticulous dissection of a highly vascularized organ and complications may develop, such as hematoma, hypocalcemia, and even hypoparathyroidism. Because some of these complications may be fatal, we sought to identify the differences in postthyroidectomy outcomes when the use of a vessel sealant device (VSD) such, as LigaSure or Harmonic scalpel, is compared with more traditional techniques, such as ligatures and clips.

Methods: Using the 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Targeted Thyroidectomy database, we compared patients who underwent a thyroidectomy using a VSD with patients without a VSD for differences in postoperative complications. Read More

J Surg Res 2022 Apr 30;277:254-260. Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Division of Endocrine Surgery, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.

Introduction: Surgical excision of substernal thyroid goiters (STG) can be challenging while minimizing postoperative morbidity. Postoperative complication rates associated with transcervical and transthoracic approaches (i.e. Read More

iScience 2022 May 27;25(5):104322. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.

We compared three hospitalized patient cohorts and conducted mechanistic studies to determine if lipotoxicity worsens COVID-19. Cohort-1 (n = 30) compared COVID-19 patients dismissed home to those requiring intensive-care unit (ICU) transfer. Cohort-2 (n = 116) compared critically ill ICU patients with and without COVID-19. Read More

Bone Rep 2022 Jun 14;16:101569. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Department of Pediatrics, Kanazawa Medical University, Kanazawa, Japan.

Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a (PHP1a) is a genetic disorder caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations on the maternal allele of the gene. Patients with PHP1a predominantly exhibit parathyroid hormone (PTH) resistance and physical features of Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy. We report two unrelated cases with PHP1a who developed tertiary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). Read More

Front Psychiatry 2022 15;13:893309. Epub 2022 Apr 15.

Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.

Purpose: Vitamin D prevents hypocalcaemia, osteoporosis, and infections, among other problems, and is involved in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Recently, vitamin D was shown to improve cognitive dysfunction caused by Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. This study aims to explore the correlation between preoperative serum vitamin D and postoperative cognitive disorder (POCD) occurrence in elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumors to guide perioperative medication use and promote early patient recovery. Read More

Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2021 Dec 1;42(8). Epub 2021 Dec 1.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in pregnancy is rare and may be associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The ideal timing for parathyroidectomy is during the second trimester, and parathyroidectomy in the third trimester is extremely rare. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with severe hypercalcemia in the 36th week of her first pregnancy. Read More