Hypoparathyroidism and Fahr's Syndrome: A Case Series

Cureus. 2023 Jun 16;15(6):e40502. doi: 10.7759/cureus.40502. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Abstract

Fahr's syndrome is defined by the presence of striato-pallido-dentate calcifications. It is a rare entity with clinical polymorphism, and it occurs in patients with dysparathyroidism, especially those with hypoparathyroidism. It must be distinguished from Fahr's disease (FD), which is defined by the presence of intracerebral calcifications without phosphocalcic metabolism abnormality. In this paper, we report the particulars of five patients diagnosed with Fahr's syndrome revealed by neurological and cognitive disorders, seizures, and abnormal movements associated with tetany crisis. In all cases, brain imaging and biological examinations led to the diagnosis of Fahr's syndrome related to hypoparathyroidism. The evolution was favorable after treatment. Fahr's syndrome is a rare and serious condition for which treatment is simple and effective. Our observations shed light on the necessity of evaluating phosphocalcic metabolism and exploring cerebral calcifications in patients with neurological disorders.

Keywords: basal ganglia; dysparathyroidism; fahr’s disease; intracerebral calcifications; neurological disorders; phosphocalcic metabolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports