A case report on disequilibrium hypercalcemia in hyperthyroidism. Comparison of calcium metabolism with other...

The patient, a 30-year-old woman, was admitted to Itoh Hospital in February, 1979 for hyperthyroidism. She had a history of pyelonephritis and recurrent urinary tract infection. Laboratory data on admission revealed overt hyperthyroidism (T3: 405 ng/dl, T4: 22.5 micrograms/dl and T3U: 57.--%), severe hypercalcemia of 12.6 mg/dl and hypercalciuria. The PSP excretion and GFR were both decreased. Serum c-PTH was nondetectable. As the thyroid function improved, there was a gradual decrease and later normalization of plasma calcium, phosphate and urinary calcium excretion. When subtotal thyroidectomy was performed on October 19, 1979, hypertrophy of the parathyroid gland was not demonstrated. In comparison with 98 other hyperthyroid patients, the pathogenesis of hypercalcemia was discussed. In conclusion, hypercalcemia in the patient, T. Y., was regarded as a kind of disequilibrium hypercalcemia which resulted from a combination of increased bone turnover and decreased calcium excretion by the kidney.