Development of hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism after long-term phosphate supplementation in hypophosphatemic...

Orally administered phosphate supplements are the mainstay of therapy for hypophosphatemic osteomalacia of diverse causes and are generally believed to be free from harmful side effects. Two cases are reported, however, in which long-term therapy (14 and 10 years, respectively) resulted in hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism associated with surgically proved adenomatous hyperplasia. This complication occurred despite concomitant treatment with pharmacologic doses of vitamin D. Thus, long-term oral phosphate therapy can produce tertiary hyperparathyroidism in susceptible patients.