[Hypo and hypercalcemia: from diagnosis to treatment]

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Calcium Homeostasis Disorders

Background:

• Hypercalcemia, defined as blood calcium > 2.6 mmol/l, affects 2-8/1000 people.
• Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) and cancers account for 80-90% of hypercalcemia cases.
• Hypocalcemia, defined as blood calcium < 2.2 mmol/l, has distinct etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the prevalence and diverse etiologies of hypercalcemia.
• To detail the common and rare causes of hypocalcemia.
• To differentiate ambulatory vs. hospital-based causes of hypercalcemia.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature and studies on calcium level disorders.
• Categorization of hypercalcemia causes into primary, neoplastic, and other.
• Identification of common and rare etiologies for hypocalcemia.

Main Results:

• Primary hyperparathyroidism is the leading ambulatory cause of hypercalcemia; cancer is a primary hospital-related cause.
• Vitamin D overdose, medication side effects, and familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia are other hypercalcemia causes.
• Post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, and chronic kidney failure are common hypocalcemia causes.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the varied causes of hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia is crucial for diagnosis and management.
• Distinguishing between ambulatory and hospital-acquired hypercalcemia aids in etiological investigation.
• Rare causes of hypocalcemia, including autoimmune and genetic factors, warrant further discussion and research.