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Recombinant PTH Infusion in a Child With Sanjad-Sakati Syndrome Refractory to Conventional Therapy
Ibrahim Bali1,2, Reem Al Khalifah1
1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11421- P. O. Box 800.
Insights
Hypoparathyroidism in Sanjad-Sakati syndrome can cause severe hypocalcemia. A newborn responded to parathyroid hormone (PTH) subcutaneous infusion, demonstrating its effectiveness for refractory cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Genetics
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Sanjad-Sakati syndrome is a rare genetic disorder.
- Hypoparathyroidism is a common endocrinological manifestation in this syndrome.
- Standard treatment involves calcium and active vitamin D, which can be insufficient.
Observation:
- A newborn with Sanjad-Sakati syndrome presented with severe, persistent hypocalcemia from birth.
- Initial treatments with high-dose oral/IV calcium and vitamin D analogues were ineffective.
- Intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) subcutaneous injections provided temporary improvement.
Findings:
- Continuous subcutaneous PTH infusion via a pump initially improved calcium levels but led to iatrogenic hypercalcemia.
- Subsequent management involved lower doses of calcium carbonate and alfacalcidol, meeting average requirements.
- PTH subcutaneous infusion demonstrated potential efficacy in refractory hypocalcemia, aiding hospital discharge.
Implications:
- Continuous PTH infusion may be a viable option for severe, refractory hypocalcemia in Sanjad-Sakati syndrome.
- Careful monitoring and dosage adjustments are crucial to prevent complications like hypercalcemia.
- This case highlights the potential of advanced PTH delivery systems in managing complex pediatric endocrine disorders.
Abstract:
Hypoparathyroidism is the most common endocrinological feature in children with Sanjad-Sakati syndrome. Treatment includes active vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Here, we report a case of a newborn with Sanjad-Sakati syndrome who had severe hypocalcemia since birth who responded to PTH subcutaneous pump infusion. The child was born at 35 weeks with hypocalcemia since the first day of life. The standard medical treatment proved ineffective for the newborn, necessitating the administration of unusually high doses of oral and IV calcium and vitamin D analogue for a 2 months. As a result, intermittent subcutaneous injections of PTH were commenced, resulting in an initial improvement in calcium levels, although this proved to be short-lived. Subsequently, a switch to continuous infusion via a Medtronic Vio pump was made, which unfortunately resulted in iatrogenic hypercalcemia, requiring management of hypercalcemia. Later, calcium carbonate and alfacalcidol were resumed at a lower dosage and continued to have average requirements for patients with hypoparathyroidism. PTH subcutaneous infusion can be highly effective in refractory hypocalcemia cases and can significantly impact the treatment course and facilitate hospital discharge as seen in our case. Careful dosage and monitoring are required to avoid iatrogenic hypercalcemia.
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