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Transient hyperphosphatasemia in an infant with bronchiolitis and pneumonia
Slavica Dodig1, J Demirovic, Z Jelcic
1Srebrnjak Children's Hospital, Srebrnjak 100, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. slavica.dodig@zg.t-com.hr
European Journal of Medical Research
|December 17, 2008
Summary
Benign transient hyperphosphatasemia, a temporary increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), was observed in an infant with severe respiratory infection. ALP levels and atypical isoenzymes normalized within weeks, indicating a transient condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Acute lower respiratory tract infections are common in infants.
- Elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) can indicate various medical conditions.
Observation:
- A 4-month-old infant with acute bronchiolitis and pneumonia presented with markedly elevated ALP levels.
- Initial investigations suggested bacterial etiology for the respiratory illness.
- Electrophoresis revealed atypical ALP isoenzymes, including fast anodal and near-cathodal fractions.
Findings:
- ALP levels reached over 5000 U/L and normalized within 54 days.
- Post-normalization electrophoresis showed normal liver, placental, intestinal, and bone isoenzymes.
- The transient nature of the elevated ALP and atypical isoenzymes was confirmed.
Implications:
- This case highlights benign transient hyperphosphatasemia as a possible diagnosis in infants with severe respiratory infections.
- Understanding these transient ALP changes is crucial for accurate diagnosis and avoiding unnecessary interventions.
- Further research may elucidate the specific mechanisms linking respiratory infections to transient ALP alterations.
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