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Query: UMLS:C0221002 (primary hyperparathyroidism)
 4,921 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The principal pathophysiologic alteration in severe hypercalcemia accompanying hyperparathyroidism and malignancy is enhanced osteoclastic bone resorption. Hypercalcemia impairs renal mechanisms that lead to sodium and calcium excretion; PTH and PTHrP acting on renal tubules enhance further calcium reabsorption. Although rehydration is often necessary as an initial therapy of hypercalcemia, the cornerstone of therapy is to inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption. The bisphosphonates, plicamycin, gallium, and calcitonin all inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption. Calcitonin is the most rapidly acting agent. Toxicities of calcitonin are minimal, yet its therapeutic efficacy is limited by lack of potency and tachyphylaxis. The second-generation bisphosphonates such as pamidronate represent a class of compounds that are extremely effective in inhibiting the metabolic function of the osteoclast. Given in a single infusion, a significant majority of patients will have normalization of corrected serum calcium lasting, on average, 1-2 weeks. Therapeutic benefit will be of greater duration because most patients remain only minimally symptomatic until corrected serum calcium rises above 11.5 mg/dL. Side effects of low-grade fever, hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypocalcemia may occur. Gallium nitrate is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption and may be of increased clinical value when more efficient administration protocols can be developed. Plicamycin, available for two decades, has cumulative toxicities and is less potent than the aminobisphosphonates. Renal insufficiency often accompanies severe hypercalcemia. The nephrotoxicity of gallium nitrate and plicamycin should preclude their use when there is moderate impairment of renal function, and amino bisphosphonates become the treatment of choice in these patients. Although several authors have advocated individualized approaches to the management of hypercalcemia, the potency and duration of action of the aminobisphosphonates make them a reasonable treatment choice for most patients with symptomatic hypercalcemia. Most importantly, the most effective therapy for hypercalcemia is to recognize and treat the underlying disease. Acute primary hyperparathyroidism requires surgery. The effective treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy allows the introduction of tumor-specific therapy, limits morbidity, and shortens and deintensifies hospitalization. At times, the most appropriate and compassionate decision (particularly in patients with malignancy who have exhausted all therapeutic options and have relentless bone pain) is to withhold therapy for hypercalcemia. Future therapies directed at the osteoclast, such as more potent later-generation bisphosphonates; inhibitors of osteoclast attachments and inhibitors of peptides, which stimulate osteoclastic bone resorption, may permit safe, easily administered, outpatient therapies that will improve the quality of life for hypercalcemic patients.
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PMID:Pathophysiology and management of severe hypercalcemia. 832 91

The two most common causes of hypercalcemia are primary hyperparathyroidism and neoplastic disease. Parathyroidectomy is the only curative intervention for the former condition. In the rare cases of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who present with clinical symptoms due to their hypercalcemia, pharmacological treatment may be required. Fluid repletion and intravenous (IV) administration of bisphosphonates are recommended in the literature. Calcium receptor agonists (calcimimetic agents) are at the present time only available for use within clinical trials. Cancer patients usually present with symptoms of hypercalcemia. Rapid institution of antihypercalcemic treatment is essential in preventing life-threatening deterioration. Fluid repletion and administration of bisphosphonates are the treatment mainstays in hypercalcemia of malignancy. Five bisphosphonates are currently licensed in Europe for treatment of tumor-associated hypercalcemia: etidronate, clodronate, pamidronate, ibandronate, and zoledronate. In the US, pamidronate and zoledronate are licensed for use in this indication. Bisphosphonates containing nitrogen atoms (e.g. pamidronate, ibandronate, and zoledronate) are more potent than those without (e.g. etidronate, clodronate, and tiludronate). In patients with malignant hypercalcemia, the efficacy of the individual bisphosphonate depends on dose administered and initial serum calcium concentration. At present, pamidronate has been studied in the greatest number of investigations and in the largest number of patients. In the literature, the efficacy of pamidronate in restoring normocalcemia ranges between 40% and 100%, depending on the dose used and baseline serum calcium concentration. More recently, one study reported that pamidronate was inferior to zoledronate. In this study, the duration of response was also longer in the two zoledronate groups (30 and 40 days) than in the pamidronate group (17 days). The most serious adverse events of bisphosphonates concern renal function. Increases in serum creatinine levels have been more frequently reported following treatment of tumor-associated hypercalcemia with etidronate (8%) and clodronate (5%) than with the nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates pamidronate (2%) and ibandronate (1%). The frequency of increases in serum creatinine levels following treatment with zoledronate is difficult to estimate. Administration of the nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates has been associated with transient (usually mild) fever, lymphocytopenia, malaise, and myalgias. These events occur within 36 hours of the first dose and are self-limiting. Hypocalcemia occurs in up to 50% of patients treated with bisphosphonates for hypercalcemia of malignancy, although symptomatic hypocalcemia is rare. The toxicity and low efficacy of plicamycin (mithramycin) mean that use of this agent should be restricted to patients with hypercalcemia of malignancy who fail to respond to IV bisphosphonates. Calcitonin is characterized by good tolerability but poor efficacy in normalizing the serum calcium level. However, a major advantage of calcitonin is the acute onset of the hypocalcemic effect, which contrasts with the delayed but more pronounced effect of bisphosphonates. Combination calcitonin and bisphosphonate treatment may therefore be of value when rapid reduction of serum calcium is warranted. Gallium nitrate may be a valuable treatment for hypercalcemia of malignancy. It is characterized by high efficacy and few adverse events apart from renal toxicity (10% of cases). However, data are very limited and further trials are necessary.
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PMID:Current management strategies for hypercalcemia. 1596 62