The treatment of spasmophilia with a single massive dose of vitamin D2

Abstract

Summary.A survey is given of the reports on the use of a single massive dose of vitamin D in spasmophilia, which cover about 130 cases. Convulsions occurred during the first day after the massive dose ill altogether 5 cases, including one of the writer's. The laryngeal spasm generally disappears in one or two days, and likewise the mechanical and electric hyperexcitability. The serum calcium generally rises rapidly, often even during the first day, and normal values are reached after a week on the average.The writer reports his own experience in five cases of manifest and four of latent spasmophilia which were treated with massive doses of vitamin D2, not combined with any dietetic or symptomatic treatment. The results were excellent; only in one case did a convulsion occur after the massive dose (16 hours later). The laryngeal spasm disappeared after two days in four cases. In one case of severe tetany with convulsions and laryngeal spasm, all the symptoms had gone after three days. In three manifest cases, the changes in the blood chemistry were carefully followed and the calcium level rose rapidly in one case and more slowly in two others, but both the clinical symptoms and the mechanical and electric hyperexcitability had disappeared after two and four days in these cases as well.So much experience has been gained, especially in Germany with massive doses of vitamin D in spasmophilia that it should be possible to establish that this form of treatment is superior to all earlier ones, both in regard to simplicity and to rapidity of effect.