Calcium Metabolism Flashcards
What are the roles of calcium?
- Component part of the skeleton (99% of calcium here)
- Metabolic: action potential and intracellular signalling [NERVES AND MUSCLES]
What are the 3 forms of calcium and how much of the total calcium do they make up?
Free (ionised) - 50%
Protein Bound (albumin) - 40%
Complexed [bound] (citrate/ phosphate) - 10%
What is the normal total serum calcium?
2.2 - 2.5 mmol/L
What is the equation for corrected calcium?
serum Ca2+ + 0.02 * (40 – serum albumin in g/L)
ionised calcium can also be measured
If Albumin = 30 and total calcium = 2.2, what is the corrected calcium?
CC = 2.2 + (0.02 * (40 - 30)) CC = 2.2 + (0.02 *10) CC = 2.2 + 0.2 CC = xx mM
What does corrected calcium tell you?
Albumin is low, free calcium is normal
Why should we replace calcium in calcium and Vitamin D deficiency?
Calcium is important in nerve and muscle function so the body will take it from bone to maintain function
What is the body’s response to hypocalcaemia?
2 Part answer, 5 points
A. Parathyroid gland detects low Ca and releases PTH
B. PTH obtains Ca from
- Bone resorption
- Gut absorption (Via Vit D)
- Kidney resorption + renal alpha hydroxylase activation (Makes Vit D)
What are the two key hormones involved in calcium homeostasis and what are their roles?
- PTH- Works on Bone and kidneys, stimulates Vit D3 and renal phosphate wasting
- Vitamin D (Steroid hormone)- Works on Bone and Gut
How thicc is PTH?
84 Amino ‘Ass’ids
PHOSPHATE TRASHING HORMONE
How is Vit D made?
> 7 Dehydrocholesterol
Converted via UV
> Cholecalciferol D3
100% Converted via liver 25 hydroxylase
> 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (stored and measured form of Vitamin D)
Converted via kidney 1 alpha hydroxylase under PTH (rate limiting)
> 1,25-dihydrocholecalciferol
Which of Vit D3 and Vit D2 is made from plants?
Vit D2, also known as ergocalciferol
Which disease causes 1 alpha hydroxylase to be expressed in the lungs?
Sarcoidosis (lung disease)
What is the role of Vitamin D3? (5 points)
> Intestinal Ca absorption
> Intestinal Phosphate absorption
> Bone formation
Other:
> Vit D receptor controls many genes eg for cell proliferation, immune system etc
> Vit D deficiency associated with cancer, autoimmune disease, metabolic syndrome
What are the roles of the skeleton?
> Structural framework >> Strong >> Relatively lightweight >> Mobile >> Protects vital organs >> Capable of orderly growth and remodelling
> Metabolic - calcium homeostasis
> Calcium reservoir (+phsophate and magnesium)
What are the metabolic bone diseases?
> Osteoporosis
> Osteomalacia
> Paget’s disease
> Parathyroid bone disease
> Renal osteodystrophy
Summarise your knowledge of vitamin D deficiency based on it’s pathology, naming, epidemiology and risk factors.
Pathology: Defective bone mineralisation (crystals not on top of matrix)
Name: Childhood, rickets; Adulthood, osteomalacia
Epidemiology: >50% adults, 16% severe in winter
RFs: Lack of sun, dark skin, dietary, malabsorption
A Black patient with Crohn’s disease comes in after 15 months of minimal contact with the outside world with bone and muscle pain, you suspect osteomalacia, what investigation would you order?
Bloods- specifically calcium, phosphate and LFTs
X ray
A Black patient with Crohn’s disease comes in after 15 months of minimal contact with the outside world with bone and muscle pain, you suspect osteomalacia what would you expect on his blood results and x ray?
Bloods:
Low calcium and phosphate but raised ALP (due to increased osteoblastic compensation)
X ray:
Looser’s zones (cortical infractions, bone)
A Black patient with Crohn’s disease comes in after 15 months of minimal contact with the outside world with bone and muscle pain, what are your differentials?
- Osteomalacia/ Rickets
- Paget’s disease (bone pain)
- Myeloma/ malignancy
- non calcium - MSK like PMR, RhA
A young child enters with his mother who complains he has leg deformity, on inspection you notice bowing of the legs and swelling in the chest with widened epiphyses at the wrist. On power examination you notice power is not 5/5 and you suspect myopathy. What is this child likely to have?
Rickets disease
Swelling in chest = costochondral swelling
What might cause Osteomalacia?
Vitamin D deficiency (dietary history)
Renal failure (1 alpha hydroxylase- eGFR<15)
Anticonvulsants which break down Vit D (history/ blood titre)
Lack of sunlight (history)
Phytic acid (chappatis- history)
Why is osteoporosis bad?
Cause of pathological fracture
Occurring more often as people live longer
Loss of bone mass
Is bone structure normal in osteoporosis?
Bone slowly lost after age 20- Residual bone normal in structure
Which bone disease is normocalcaemic?
Osteoporosis
What disease should you think of when you see a neck of femur/ vertebral/ Colle’s fracture in an older patient?
Osteoporosis