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Hypercalcemia in a patient with polycythemia vera.
Eun Hui Bae1, Hyun Soo Kim, Min Jee Kim
1Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Chonnam Medical Journal
|September 15, 2012
Summary
A parathyroid tumor caused hypercalcemia and polycythemia in a patient with diabetes. Surgical removal of the tumor normalized calcium, parathyroid hormone, and polycythemia levels, highlighting the importance of considering parathyroid tumors in differential diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Hematology
Background:
- Hypercalcemia and polycythemia are complex conditions with multifactorial etiologies.
- Parathyroid tumors, while typically associated with hypercalcemia, are less commonly linked to polycythemia.
Observation:
- A 59-year-old female with diabetes mellitus presented with concurrent hypercalcemia and polycythemia.
- Elevated serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were noted.
- Tc-99m sesta-MIBI scanning revealed increased uptake in the left thyroid lobe's lower portion.
Findings:
- Surgical intervention (parathyroidectomy) led to the normalization of serum calcium, iPTH levels, and polycythemia.
- The findings suggest a direct link between the parathyroid tumor and the observed clinical manifestations.
Implications:
- Parathyroid tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with unexplained hypercalcemia and polycythemia.
- This case underscores the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach, including endocrine evaluation, for polycythemia.
- Early diagnosis and treatment of parathyroid tumors can resolve associated systemic conditions like polycythemia.
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