scholarly journals Is calcium a concern in neonates undergoing phototherapy?

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 988 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. Sridhar ◽  
Sreeram S. ◽  
Madoori Srinivas

Background: Neonatal hypocalcemia is defined as total serum calcium concentration of < 7 mg/dl or ionized calcium concentration of <4 mg/dl (<1 mmol/L). The current aim was to look the effect of phototherapy on ionized calcium levels before and after phototherapy in otherwise healthy term and late preterm (35 to 37 weeks) neonates.Methods: The study group included 50 neonates. Measurement of serum ionized calcium levels was done before and at the end of phototherapy.Results: At the end of phototherapy in study group, a significant fall in calcium level in 64% of term and 76% of late preterm neonates was observed, but almost all except one remained asymptomatic.Conclusions: The efficacy of phototherapy in the prevention and treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in newborn infants has been well established. The mean duration of phototherapy in our study was 32 hours. Duration of phototherapy may influence the severity of hypocalcaemia. The regulation of calcium homeostasis in the newborn period has been of considerable interest. Phototherapy increases calcium absorption by the bones and leads to the reduction of melatonin levels. Changes in melatonin levels affect the incidence of hypocalcaemia-induced phototherapy. The mechanism of hypocalcaemia effect of phototherapy was reported by inhibition of pineal gland via transcranial illumination, resulting to decline of melatonin secretion; which blocks the effect of cortisol on bone calcium. It is suggested that serum calcium levels be assessed in neonates treated with phototherapy. Neonatal Jaundice is one of the most common problems that can occur in the newborn. Hypocalcaemia during phototherapy has been reported in literature.

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-542
Author(s):  
JENS MÖLLER ◽  
F. K. TEGTMEYER

To the Editor.— We would like to add some comments on the article by Venkataraman et al.1 In one respect it might be quite dangerous not to measure the ionized calcium in preterm neonates. If you find prolongation of QTc or QoTc intervals in the ECG during cardiac failure in these infants and find subnormal total serum calcium levels, you might make a wrong conclusion on causal relationship. Until now, we have seen five preterm neonates with OTc/QoTc prolongation and profound low total serum calcium levels, whereas the measured ionized calcium level was normal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahel D. Gebreyohannes ◽  
Ahmed Abdella ◽  
Wondimu Ayele ◽  
Ahizechukwu C. Eke

Abstract Background Preeclampsia is a well-known cause of maternal mortality and morbidity in Ethiopia. The exact pathophysiology has not been fully understood. Calcium and magnesium deficiencies have been given emphasis to play roles in the pathophysiology. Although evidence is abundant, they are equivocal. The study aimed to see the association of dietary calcium intake, serum total calcium level and ionized calcium level with preeclampsia. It also evaluated the association between dietary calcium intake and serum calcium levels. Materials and methods An unmatched case–control study was conducted in Gandhi Memorial, Tikur Anbessa, and Zewditu Memorial Hospitals, all in Addis Ababa, between October to December, 2019. Cases were 42 women with preeclampsia and controls were 42 normotensive women. The medical and obstetric history was gathered using a structured questionnaire and the dietary calcium intake information using a 24-h dietary recall. The serum levels of total serum calcium and ionized (free) calcium were measured using an inductively coupled mass spectrophotometer. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Pearson correlation test were utilized during data analysis. Results In comparison with controls, women with preeclampsia had lower mean (± 1SD) levels of ionized calcium level (1.1 mmol/l ± 0.11), total serum calcium level (1.99 mmol/l ± 0.35) and lower median (IQR) dietary calcium intake (704 mg/24 h,458–1183). The odds of having preeclampsia was almost eight times greater in those participants with low serum ionized calcium level (OR 7.5, 95% CI 2.388–23.608) and three times higher in those with low total serum calcium level (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.024–9.370). Low dietary calcium intake also showed statistically significant association with preeclampsia (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.092 -10.723). Serum ionized calcium level and total serum calcium level showed positive correlation of moderate strength (p = 0.004, r = 0.307), but no correlation was found between dietary calcium intake with both forms of serum calcium levels. Conclusion This study showed significant association between low dietary calcium intake and low serum calcium levels with preeclampsia, hence this can be used as a supportive local evidence for the current context-specific recommendation of calcium supplementation in societies with low-dietary calcium consumption in an attempt to prevent preeclampsia, therefore implementation study should be considered in Ethiopia to look for the feasibility of routine supplementation.


1987 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Benson ◽  
Sverker Ljunghall ◽  
Torgny Groth ◽  
Hans Falk ◽  
Andreas Hvarfner ◽  
...  

1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Farese ◽  
Milton Mager ◽  
William F Blatt

Abstract A rapid, simple procedure is described for separating diffusible from proteinbound serum calcium by centrifugation through high-flux ultrafiltration membranes. The mean normal value for ultrafilterable calcium was 57.1% (range 52 to 61%) of the total serum calcium concentration.


2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 512-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Smiljkovic ◽  
Svetlana Kostic-Dedic ◽  
Vesna Nikolic ◽  
Andjela Gavrilovic ◽  
Sanja Jevdjic

Introduction/Objective. An association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and etiologically different polyneuropathies is well established. However, the investigations about the prevalence of RLS in diabetic polyneuropathy (DP) have led to controversy. Our study objective was to determine the frequency of RLS in patients with distal symmetrical polyneuropathy in patients with diabetes and identify possible risk factors for its occurrence in this group of patients. Method. We investigated 101 consecutive patients with distal DP. RLS was diagnosed according to the International RLS Study Group diagnostic criteria. The distal symmetrical polyneuropathy was confirmed by the electromyoneurographic study performed in each patient. Results. Overall RLS was present in 27 (26.73%) patients. The comparison between patients with and without RLS revealed that the RLS+ group included more women than men (14.85/9.90% vs. 35.64/37.62%, non-significant), patients were significantly younger (60.58 ? 10.54 vs. 65.57 ? 10.94 years, p ? 0.05), sensory polyneuropathy was significantly more common (17/27 vs. 34/74, p ? 0.05); the average level of the total serum calcium concentration was higher in the RLS + group than in non-RLS (2.43 ? 0.26 vs. 2.28 ? 0.39; p ? 0.05). However, multivariate logistic regression analysis did not demonstrate these as significant independent risk factors for RLS in DP. Conclusions. RLS is common in DP and occurs in more than a quarter of these patients. Though sensory forms and higher total serum calcium concentration were associated with RLS, neither of these has been identified as a significant single risk factor for the development of RLS in DP.


1991 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 1136-1143
Author(s):  
A J Felsenfeld ◽  
D Ross ◽  
M Rodriguez

During the study of parathyroid function in 19 hemodialysis patients with low turnover aluminum bone disease, it was observed that serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were higher during the induction of hypocalcemia than during the recovery from hypocalcemia. This type of PTH response has been termed hysteresis. Hypocalcemia was induced during hemodialysis with a calcium-free dialysate. When the total serum calcium level decreased to 7 mg/dL, the dialysate calcium concentration was changed to 3.5 mEq/L and the dialysis session was completed. One week later, hypercalcemia was induced during hemodialysis with a high-calcium dialysate. The mean basal PTH level was 132 +/- 37 pg/mL (normal, 10 to 65 pg/mL; immunoradiometric (IRMA), Nichols Institute, San Juan Capistrano, CA) and increased to a maximal PTH level of 387 +/- 91 pg/mL during hypocalcemia. For the same ionized calcium concentration, the PTH level was higher during the induction of hypocalcemia than during the recovery from hypocalcemia. Conversely, for the same ionized calcium concentration, the PTH level was greater when hypercalcemia was induced from the nadir of hypocalcemia than when hypercalcemia was induced from basal serum calcium. The set point of calcium (defined as the serum calcium concentration required to reduce maximal PTH by 50%) was greater during the induction of hypocalcemia than during the recovery from hypocalcemia (4.44 +/- 0.10 versus 4.25 +/- 0.09 mg/dL; P = 0.03). The mean basal ionized calcium concentration and the mean ionized calcium concentration at the intersection of the two PTH-calcium curves were the same (4.61 +/- 0.13 versus 4.61 +/- 0.12 mg/dL).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 1292-95
Author(s):  
Sohail Aslam ◽  
Fawad Ahmad Khan ◽  
Omer Tufail ◽  
Naila Mumtaz ◽  
Syed Uzair Maqsood ◽  
...  

Objective: To determine the frequency and compare serum calcium levels amongst extremely preterm and very preterm neonates. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Multan Pakistan, from May to Oct 2018. Methodology: A total of 217 preterm neonates, born at Combined Military Hospital Multan up to the gestational age of 32 weeks completed from last menstrual period, were included in the study. They were divided in to two group’s i.e. very preterm and extremely preterm neonates. Those born between 28-32 weeks completed of gestation were categorized as severely preterm. Extremely preterm were those born between 24-28 weeks completed of gestation. Venous blood samples were acquired at approximately 36 hours after birth and total serum calcium levels were analyzed. Neonates having total serum calcium levels <7 mg/dL were declared as suffering from hypocalcaemia. Results: Out of 217 neonates, 117 (53.9%) were male while 100 (46.1%) were female. Mean gestational age was 30.98 ± 2.12 weeks while mean parity of the mothers was 2.82 ± 1.08 children. Mean birth weight was 1510.26 ± 142.38 grams. One hundred and seventeen (53.9%) of the preterm neonates suffered from hypocalcaemia with the mean total serum calcium level being 6.58 ± 0.86 mg/dL. Hypocalcaemia was more common in extremely preterm neonates compared to very preterm neonates (p<0.05). Conclusion: Hypocalcaemia is a frequent complication encountered in preterm neonates born between 24-32 weeks gestation. Within these neonates, the frequency of hypocalcaemia is higher in extremely preterm compared to severely preterm babies.


1978 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1962-1965 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Larsson ◽  
S Ohman

Abstract We studied 25 borderline-hyperparathyroidism patients whose total serum calcium concentration was within normal limits (reference range: 2.25--2.75 mmol/liter) but whose concentrations of serum ionized calcium were above normal (reference range: 1.03--1.23 mmol/liter). Their hyperparathyroidism was histopathologically verified. To compare the discriminating value of corrected serum calcium with ionized calcium, we studied the serum calcium and albumin concentrations in a reference group of 2098 patients. After patients from endocrine and dialysis departments were excluded from the reference group, we obtained the range (mean +/- 2 SD) 2.05--2.71 mmol/liter for uncorrected serum calcium and 2.11--2.63 mmol/liter for corrected serum calcium. The correction factor for calcium on albumin was 20 mumol/g. Even with this limit for corrected serum calcium, 13 of 25 borderline hyperparathyroidism patients had values that fell within the reference range. We conclude that correcting total serum calcium values for serum albumin concentration improves discrimination of borderline hyperparathyroid patients, but that measurement of ionized calcium in serum discriminates better.


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