Hypocalcemia Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Manish Suneja, MD; Chief Editor: Vecihi Batuman, MD, FACP, FASN   more...
 
Updated: Oct 27, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

The first step in evaluation of hypocalcemia is to exclude factitious cases by measuring the serum albumin levels, as low serum albumin levels can cause a reduction in the total, but not the ionized, fraction of serum calcium. Patients do not have any signs or symptoms of hypocalcemia.

Each 1 g/dL reduction in the serum albumin concentration will lower the total calcium concentration by approximately 0.8 mg/dL without affecting the ionized calcium concentration. Thus, the calcium level should be corrected in patients with low serum albumin levels, using the following formula:

Corrected calcium (mg/dL) = measured total Ca (mg/dL) + 0.8 (4.4 - serum albumin [g/dL]), where 4.4 represents the average albumin level.

Note that calcium correction based on the above calculation may be inaccurate, particularly in geriatric patients. Ionized calcium levels should be obtained if hypocalcemia is considered to be clinically significant.

Gadodiamide and gadoversetamide, which are gadolinium-based contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging and angiography, may interfere with the colorimetric assays for calcium that are frequently used in hospital laboratories. This effect is not observed with other gadolinium-based agents: dimeglumine gadopentetate, gadoteridol, or gadoterate meglumine.

The interaction can result in a marked reduction in the measured calcium concentration of as much as 6 mg/dL if a blood sample is obtained soon after the imaging study. This effect is rapidly reversible as the gadolinium is excreted in the urine, and the patient has no symptoms or signs of hypocalcemia.

Awareness of this phenomenon is particularly important in patients with renal insufficiency who may retain the contrast agent for prolonged periods. There is no reason to treat this type of hypocalcemia.[35, 36, 37]

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Manish Suneja, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Manish Suneja, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Society of Nephrology, and National Kidney Foundation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Heather A Muster  MD, MS, Medical Director

Heather A Muster is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Transplantation, International Society of Nephrology, Minnesota Medical Association, and National Kidney Foundation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Vecihi Batuman, MD, FACP, FASN  Professor of Medicine, Section of Nephrology-Hypertension, Tulane University School of Medicine; Chief, Medicine Service, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System

Vecihi Batuman, MD, FACP, FASN is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Society of Hypertension, American Society of Nephrology, and International Society of Nephrology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Jeffrey L Arnold, MD, FACEP Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Jeffrey L Arnold, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and American College of Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Christopher B Beach, MD, FACEP, FAAEM Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Associate Professor of Institute for Healthcare Studies, Institute for Patient Safety, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Christopher B Beach, MD, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Robin R Hemphill, MD, MPH Associate Professor, Director, Quality and Safety, Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University

Robin R Hemphill, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eleanor Lederer, MD Professor of Medicine, Chief, Nephrology Division, Director, Nephrology Training Program, Director, Metabolic Stone Clinic, Kidney Disease Program, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Louisville Veterans Affairs Hospital

Eleanor Lederer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Transplantation, International Society of Nephrology, Kentucky Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Dept of Veterans Affairs Grant/research funds Research

James W Lohr, MD Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Fellowship Program Director, University of Buffalo State University of New York School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

James W Lohr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Society of Nephrology, and Central Society for Clinical Research

Disclosure: Genzyme Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Alfredo A Pegoraro, MD Consulting Staff, Nephrology Associates

Alfredo A Pegoraro, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Assocation, American Society of Nephrology, and International Society of Nephrology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Erik D Schraga, MD Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mills-Peninsula Emergency Medical Associates

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

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Electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in severe hypocalcemia.
 
 
 
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