[Hypercalcaemia can be the only initial symptom of sarcoidosis]

Ugeskr Laeger. 2014 Apr 28;176(9):V01130070.
[Article in Danish]

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is an ordinary systemic inflammatory disease that can affect many organs. It is characterized by development of non-necrotizing granulomas. It commonly affects lungs (80%) while hypercalcaemia is found in 5% and reflects an activation of T-cells within the granulomas that causes an overproduction of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. We describe a case where hypercalcaemia was the only symptom in a patient with extrapulmonary sarcoidosis, and the investigation was misled by different serologic findings though PET-CT showed fludeoxyglucose uptake in the biceps femoris muscles. The diagnosis was made after a biopsy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Granuloma / complications
  • Granuloma / diagnosis
  • Granuloma / drug therapy
  • Granuloma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Hypercalcemia / etiology*
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Sarcoidosis / complications*
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnosis
  • Sarcoidosis / drug therapy
  • Sarcoidosis / pathology

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Prednisolone