Disorders of Calcium Metabolism

  • Charles P. McKay
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Nutrition and Health book series (NH)

Key Points

1. Three organ systems are involved in the transport of calcium into the extracellular fluid: gastrointestinal, renal, and bone.

2. Two interdependent endocrine systems are responsible for the control of the concentration of extracellular calcium: parathyroid and vitamin D axis.

3. For disorders of extracellular calcium concentrations in complicated patients, measure ionized calcium rather than relying on “corrected” calcium measurements.

4. 25(OH)vitamin D and not 1,25(OH)2vitamin D concentration is the best measure of vitamin D deficiency.

5. In refractory hypocalcemia, especially in infants, hypomagnesemia should be considered as a possible cause.

6. Hypercalcemia generally results from increased absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, decreased excretion by the kidneys, or an imbalance of bone mineralization and resorption.

7. In contrast to adults where primary hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia of malignancy account for the vast majority of cases of hypercalcemia, these conditions are relatively rare in childhood.

Key Words

Calcium hypercalcemia hypocalcemia parathyroid hormone bisphosphonates vitamin D 
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Copyright information

© Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Charles P. McKay
    • 1
  1. 1.Pediatric Nephrology, Levine Children´s Hospital@Carolinas Medical CenterCharlotteUSA

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