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Acta Medica Colombiana
Print version ISSN 0120-2448
Abstract
ROMAN, Alejandro et al. Primary hypoparathyroidism associated with seizures. Acta Med Colomb [online]. 2013, vol.38, n.3, pp.186-192. ISSN 0120-2448.
Abstract We report the case of a 31 years old man healthy until four years ago, when he started to present episodes of generalized tonic-clonic seizures with episodes of tetany, carpal pedal spasm, myalgia, bilateral progressive loss of visual acuity and behavioral changes with mutism and apathy. Physical examination showed bilateral posterior subcapsular cataracts grade III, gingival hyperplasia, with perplexed attitude, mutism, catatonic postures and positive Chvostek sign and carpal pedal spasm. Initial calcium was 3.9 mg/dL (8.2-10.2), Phosphorus 10.1 mg/dL (2.5-4.5) and parathyroid hormone levels 0.2 pg/mL (15-68.3). The brain computed tomography showed basal ganglia calcifications. With these findings we made the diagnosis of primary idiopathic hypoparathyroidism, with marked clinical and paraclinical improvement with calcitriol and calcium carbonate. This case shows the importance of considering hypocalcemia as a metabolic cause of seizures, which are fully reversible by improving hypocalcemia. (Acta Med Colomb 2013; 38: 186-192).
Keywords : primary hypoparathyroidism; hypocalcemia; calcifications; seizures; calcium; phosphorus.