Abstract
A 60-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of nausea, thirst, and dyspnea on exertion. She had skin eruptions on her back and right knee. Her serum calcium level was 12.6 mg/dl. The chest roentgenogram showed diffuse nodular shadows in both lung fields. The level of angiotensin-converting enzyme in serum was markedly high, and epithelioid cell granulomas were found in the specimens obtained by skin biopsy and by transbronchial lung biopsy. Sarcoidosis was diagnosed. After administration of prednisolone, the serum calcium level decreased to within the normal range and the shadows on the chest roentgenogram resolved. Hypercalcemia complicated with sarcoidosis is caused by overproduction of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in granulomas. The content of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the transbronchial lung biopsy specimen from this patient was higher than that from a sarcoidosis patient whose serum calcium level was normal. A few case reports of sarcoidosis with hypercalcemia have been published in Japan. The association with HLA type and the possibility of overintake of dietary vitamin D are discussed in reference to hypercalcemia in this patient.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
