[[Clodronate therapy of hypercalcemia caused by hyperparathyroidism]

The diphosphonates, powerful agents which inhibit osteolysis, have been used parenterally with success to treat malignant hypercalcemia. 4 cases of anatomically confirmed primary hyperparathyroidism (age of patients 58-78 years) were admitted with a serum calcium of over 4 mmol/l in one case, over 3,5 mmol/l in a second case and over 3 mmol/l in the other two. The patients received an infusion of isotonic saline and dichloromethylene-diphosphonate (clodronate) parenterally in a dose of 500 mg a day. Serum calcium began to fall in all four patients 48 hours after the treatment was started. Intravenous clodronate therefore appears to be the treatment of choice for parathyroid crises and allows surgery of the adenomas in better metabolic conditions.