TRANSIENT HYPOCALCEMIA WITH ELEVATED SERUM PARATHORMONE IN AN INFANT OF A HYPERPARATHYROID MOTHER

An infant presented at the age of 80 days with a hypocalcemic fit. The mother was found to have asymptomatic parathyroid adenoma. The infant s intact parathyroid hormone was high in the absence of hypomagnesemia , renal failure or overt rickets, which are known causes of secondary end-organ refractoriness. The patient was treated with calcium and 1-a lpha-hydroxyvitamin D for only 2 weeks, but has remained asymptomatic and normocalcemic on follow-up to the age of 2 years. It is believed t hat this has not been previously described and it is speculated that e nd-organ refractoriness, though brief, can account for all the symptom s.