Single high-dose (45 mg) infusions of aminohydroxypropylidene diphosphonate for severe malignant hypercalcemia

A 3-hour single intravenous infusion of aminohydroxypropylidene diphosphonate (APD) 45 mg was given to 25 patients with malignant hypercalcemia. There were seven patients with breast cancer, eight with lung cancer, and ten with a variety of other cancers. Twenty-four patients responded to a single APD 45 mg infusion, 18 of whom (75%) had falls in plasma calcium to below the upper limit of normal (less than or equal to 2.75 mmol/l). Of 15 patients who had severe hypercalcemia, i.e., plasma calcium levels greater than 3.5 mmol/l, 14 responded and 9 (60%) achieved normocalcemia. Five patients developed hypocalcemia. One patient with lung cancer developed spontaneously reversible acute dyspnea after APD which was considered to be an idiosyncratic drug reaction. Single short-duration infusions of APD 45 mg are very effective in correcting malignant hypercalcemia in the majority of patients and are particularly suitable for patients with pre-APD plasma calcium levels greater than 3.5 mmol/l, who are less likely to develop hypocalcemia.