Hyperparathyroidism due to auto-immunological malabsorption in an African girl

Hyperparathyroidism is a rare finding in children. It is a typical sign of vitamin D-deficiency caused by different reasons. It may also be due to calcium wasting syndromes, and it can rarely be induced by adenomas of the parathyroid glands and in parathormone receptor mutations (pseudohyperparathyroidism). A 12-year old Gambian girl living in Hamburg, Germany, was developing abdominal and joint pain. Serum analysis revealed low serum-calcium, significantly elevated parathormone and decreased vitamin D. Immigrant rickets was assumed. Because of abdominal pain and iron deficiency, lambliasis was ruled out. Celiac disease was demonstrated by gliadin and endomysium antibodies as well as by intestinal mucosa biopsy. Despite of a gluten-free diet the joint pains persisted. They were declared by rheumatologists to be caused by a chronic juvenile arthritis (sister disease of celiac disease). However, there were no positive inflammation signals and no clear elevated rheuma-immunology. Follow up: Gluten-free diet and additional treatment with calcium and active vitamin D did not stop increasing parathormone levels, did not stop abdominal and joint pain, and did not stop increment of positive celiac disease antibodies. Assuming compliance problems the patient was then treated with vitamin D injections, which caused decreasing parathormone levels and vanishing joint pain. Celiac disease can cause intestinal rickets with elevated parathomone levels mimicking chronic juvenile arthritis, if gluten-free diet is not strictly performed by compliance problems.