Successful management with bisphosphonate treatment in a child with tuberculosis-associated hypercalcemia

• Main Authors: Suna Kılınç, Özlem Bostan Gayret, Meltem Erol, Saide Ertürk, Tugce Damla Dilek, Özgül Yiğit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: KARE Publishing 2020-08-01
• Series: İstanbul Kuzey Klinikleri
• Subjects: bisphosphonates; hypercalcemia; miliary tuberculosis; pamidronate-disodium.
• Online Access: https://jag.journalagent.com/z4/download_fulltext.asp?pdir=nci&un=NCI-14890
• ISSN: 2148-4902

Hypercalcemia is a common metabolic abnormality in children and generally occurs due to hyperparathyroidism, vitamin D toxicity, some genetic disorders and malignant diseases. Granulomatous diseases are a rare cause of hypercalcemia in children, which are usually mild and asymptomatic. Severe hypercalcemia in granulomatous diseases has also been reported in the literature. Here, we report a child presenting with severe hypercalcemia secondary to miliary tuberculosis with successful management with bisphosphonate treatment. Increased 1,25(OH)2D3 synthesis by activated macrophages in the granuloma tissue is the major mechanism of hypercalcemia in tuberculosis.