Benign Transient Hyperphosphatasemia of Infancy. A Common Benign Scenario, a Big Concern for a Pediatrician

Abstract

Benign transient hyperphosphatasemia of infancy (BTH) is a condition characterized by disproportionately high levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP). We report 4 cases of healthy patients with an elevated SAP. The mean age of the patients was 33 (14-52) months, with three females and one male. All children had a normal physical exam and anthropometric measures. The maximum values of serum alkaline phosphatase recorded in the 4 patients were: 11900, 6500, 9700 and 7600 UI/L respectively, with the rest of the laboratory exams and diagnostic images being normal. The clinical course of all the patients was favourable and no patient presented signs of symptoms of illness. Blood was drawn on 6 occasions in patients 1 and 5 occasions in the rest. Benign transient hyperphosphatasemia of infancy was diagnosed. It is important to know the characteristics of this condition to order the necessary amount of complementary studies.