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. 2018 May 29:13:9-13.
doi: 10.1016/j.jcte.2018.05.004. eCollection 2018 Sep.

Incidence of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in hospitalized patients: Is it changing?

A Catalano  1 , D Chilà  1 , F Bellone  1 , G Nicocia  1 , G Martino  2 , I Loddo  3 , N Morabito  1 , S Benvenga  1   4   5 , S Loddo  1
Affiliations

Incidence of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in hospitalized patients: Is it changing?

A Catalano et al. J Clin Transl Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Disorders of calcium metabolism are frequently encountered in routine clinical practice. However limited data are available on the epidemiology of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in hospitalized patients. Our aim was to evaluate the frequency of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in hospitalized patients. This is a retrospective study based on the laboratory results of all hospitalized subjects (n = 12,334) whose calcemia was determined between January 1st, 2011 and December 31st, 2014. Measurements of serum calcium were carried out by a single centralized laboratory. Hypocalcemia was defined as serum calcium levels <8.2 mg/dl and hypercalcemia as serum calcium levels >10.4 mg/dl. Albumin correction was applied to adjust serum calcium values. Overall, hypocalcemia accounted for 27.72% (n = 3420) and hypercalcemia for 4.74% (n = 585) of the 12,334 inpatients. The highest prevalence of hypocalcemia was found in patients over 65 yr. (n = 2097, 61.31%) vs. younger subjects, while the highest prevalence of hypercalcemia was observed in patients aged 0-18 yr. (n = 380, 64.95%). Hypocalcemia was more often encountered in males (n = 1952, 57.07%) while no gender differences were found regarding hypercalcemia. Incidence of hypocalcemia changed over time varying from 35.42% (n = 1061) in 2011 to 21.93% (n = 672) in 2014 (r = -0.98; p = 0.01). Differently, incidence of hypercalcemia did not significantly increase significantly from 3.47% (n = 104) in 2011 to 6.92% (n = 211) in 2014 (r = 0.94; p = 0.052). Despite increased awareness about electrolytes disturbance, physicians should consider calcium levels because of life-threatening consequences associated to hypo- and hypercalcemia. Patient's gender and age could be associated to a different risk of calcium disturbance in hospitalized patients.

Keywords: Elderly; Electrolytes; Hypercalcemia; Hypocalcemia; Inpatients; Pediatrics.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hypocalcemia, normocalcemia and hypercalcemia trend from January 2011 to December 2014.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Incidence of hypocalcemia according to gender over the period from January 2011 to December 2014.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Incidence of hypercalcemia according to gender over the period from January 2011 to December 2014.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Incidence of hypocalcemia according to age over the period from January 2011 to December 2014.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Incidence of hypercalcemia according to age over the period from January 2011 to December 2014.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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