Severe hypocalcemia complicating outbreaks of renal failure in 2 uremic patients
Marcelli, C.; Simandoux, V.; Ciurana, A.J.; Canaud, B.; Simon, L.
Revue du Rhumatisme et des Maladies Osteo-Articulaires 59(9): 563-565
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-2659 PMID: 1494738 Document Number: 402401
Hypocalcemia has many causes of which several often occur in combination in intensive care unit patients. Two cases (a 78-year-old male and a 63-year-old female) of severe hypocalcemia (corrected serum calcium 1.2 mmol/l in both cases) in patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of chronic renal failure are reported herein. Both subjects had a history of chronic hypocalcemia due to vitamin-calcium deficiencies and chronic renal failure. The lack of adverse clinical consequences of the low serum calcium levels can be explained by the fact that both patients also had severe metabolic acidosis, a disorder which increased the ionized fraction of total serum calcium. Serum calcium returned to normal slowly and gradually despite parenteral administration of large amounts of calcium and vitamin D or vitamin D derivatives.