MUSCLE WEAKNESS IN INTENSIVE-CARE PATIENTS - INITIAL MANIFESTATION OFVITAMIN-D DEFICIENCY

Citation
Jm. Rimaniol et al., MUSCLE WEAKNESS IN INTENSIVE-CARE PATIENTS - INITIAL MANIFESTATION OFVITAMIN-D DEFICIENCY, Intensive care medicine, 20(8), 1994, pp. 591-592
Citations number
10
Categorie Soggetti
Emergency Medicine & Critical Care
Journal title
ISSN journal
03424642
Volume
20
Issue
8
Year of publication
1994
Pages
591 - 592
Database
ISI
SICI code
0342-4642(1994)20:8<591:MWIIP->2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
A 72-year-old woman was referred to hospital for obnubilation with gen eral muscle weakness and hypotonia. Biology showed hypocalcemia, hypop hosphatemia, increased serum creatine kinase and alkaline phosphatase levels. Brain CT scan, cerebrospinal fluid examination, and electromyo gram were normal. Clinical status and electroencephalogram were consis tent with non-conclusive generalized status epilepticus. The treatment included clonazepam and CaCl2 and consciousness returned to normal. A treatment with multivitamin infusion containing vitamin D-2 was given for 3 weeks. Muscle weakness improved partially. Serum vitamin D-3 le vel was low and osteomalacic myopathy was diagnosed. A treatment was g iven with 250H vitamin D-3, 50 mu g per day. Two months later, serum v itamin D-3 and creatine kinase levels were normal and the patient coul d walk without help. We conclude that vitamin D status should be monit ored in elderly patients with muscle symptoms and abnormal calcium sta tus. Osteomalacic myopathy should be considered in critically ill pati ents with muscle symptoms of an unclear cause.