Calcium physiology, hypercalemia, renal secondary hyperparathyroidism Flashcards
Chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders can be manifested in one of three ways. Name them.
- Laboratory abnormalities indicative of disturbed mineral/bone metabolism
- Calcification of the vasculature and soft tissues
- Abnormalities in skeletal morphology (renal osteodystrophy)
99% of the calcium in the body is stored in the bone in what form?
Hydroxyapatite
What percent of the plasma calcium is in a free, ionized form under normal conditions?
55%
In the presence of acidemia, what happens to the protein bound and ionized calcium concentrations in the blood?
Calcium and hydrogen ions compete for the negatively-charged protein binding sites
Therefore, protein bound calcium decreases and ionized calcium increases with acidemia
What are the major functions of PTH?
- Stimulates calcium reabsorption from the renal tubules (distal convoluting)
- Stimulates calcitriol synthesis
- Enhances mobilization of calcium from the bone
- Increases FGF23 production from the bone
- Stimulates phosphorus excretion in the kidneys
What is the effect of FGF23 on PTH synthesis?
FGF23 inhibits PTH synthesis and secretion - negative feed back loop
What are the major functions of FGF23?
- Potent phosphaturic hormone
- Stimulates renal tubular reabsorption of calcium
- Inhibits calcitriol production
What are the major functions of calcitriol?
- Inhibits PTH synthesis
- Increases transcellular calcium reabsorption from the intestines
- Increases transcellular calcium reabsorption from the distal convoluted tubule
Under normal conditions, what percent of filtered calcium is reabsorbed in the renal tubules?
98%
- Proximal tubule 60-70%
What is the paracellular pathway of calcium reabsorption in the renal tubules?
Movement of calcium through tight junctions between epithelial cells
- Primary method of calcium reabsorption in the proximal tubule and thick ascending limb
- Driven by passive diffusion or solvent drag down an electrochemical gradient
What is the transcellular pathway of calcium reabsorption in the renal tubules
Calcium transport through tubular epithelial cells
- Primary method of calcium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule (5-10% of calcium reabsorption)
- Crucial to the fine regulation of calcium reabsorption, where hormones act
When dietary calcium intake is low, what absorption method predominates? How does it occur?
Active, hormonal-dependent, transcellular absorption
- Occurs in the duodenum
- Via vitamin D receptors that are highly expressed under the influence of calcitriol
Passive paracellular calcium diffusion occurs when the dietary intake is higher. Where does it occur?
Throughout the small intestine, cecum, and proximal colon
How does calcitriol enhance calcium absorption in the intestines?
Calcitriol binds to the vitamin D receptor (transcription factor) => transcription of genes encoding for:
- The transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 6: absorbs calcium on the intraluminal surface of the cell
- Calcium ATPase and sodium-calcium exchangers - on the basolateral membrane to move calcium into the blood
What cell in the parathyroid gland synthesizes PTH?
Parathyroid chief cells
What stimulates PTH release?
- Ionized hypocalcemia
- Phosphate retention
- Decreased calcitriol synthesis
How does PTH promote bone resorption?
Indirectly activates osteoclasts through increased expression of RANKL on the osteoblasts and osteocytes
What factors increase the activity of 1-alpha-hydroxylase activity in the kidneys, leading to increased calcitriol production?
PTH, calcitonin, low extracellular calcium and phosphate
Where is FGF23 produced?
Osteocytes and osteoblasts in the bone
What stimulates FGF23 production?
Calcitriol, PTH, increased phosphorus
How does FGF23 lead to increased renal excretion of phosphorus?
Decreases expression of the renal sodium phosphate cotransporters
FGF23 exerts its biological function by interacting with what receptor complex?
alpha-Klotho-FGF receptor complex
How does membrane-bound alpha-Klotho affect FGF23?
Acts as a co-factor to enhance ligand-receptor affinity
Where is calcitonin produced?
Parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland
What stimulates calcitonin production?
Increased blood calcium concentrations
What are the primary effects of calcitonin?
- Inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption
- Antagonizes PTH
How does calcitriol reduce PTH synthesis?
- Directly inhibits mRNA synthesis for the production of PTH
- Increases the number of calcium channels on the cell to increase responsiveness to extracellular calcium concentrations
What is the half life of PTH and how does that effect it’s function?
3-5 minutes - allows PTH to be involved in the minute to minute, fine tuning of iCa concentrations
How is hypercalcemia toxic to cells?
Alters cell membrane permeability, alters cell membrane calcium pump activity, reduces energy production, derangements in cellular functions result
What are the most common clinical signs of hypercalcemia?
PU/PD, anorexia, lethargy, weakness
What are uncommon signs of hypercalcemia?
Constipation, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, AKI, calcium urolithiasis
The severity of clinical signs from hypercalcemia depends on what factors?
- Magnitude of hypercalcemia
- Rate of development - signs are most severe when hypercalcemia develops rapidly
- Duration - clinical signs more likely the longer hypercalcemia goes on
Soft tissue mineralization occurs when the product of calcium x phosphorus is greater than what?
60
How does hypercalcemia lead to an AKI?
- Ionized hypercalcemia can result in renal vasoconstriction
- Can decrease the permeability coefficient of the glomerulus
- Can cause acute tubular necrosis from ischemic and toxic effects
If the thick ascending limb is not damaged, hypercalcemia can result in hyposthenuria through what means?
Causes nephrogenic diabetes insipidus - hypercalcemia can affect aquaporin expression and delivery to the membrane of the tubular cells in the collecting duct
In one study of 109 dogs, what was the most common cause of hypercalcemia?
Neoplasia - 58%
What percent of dogs with hypoadrenocorticism have hypercalcemia?
~30% (another study says 42% total, 22% ionized hypercalcemia)
What is the PTH concentration in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism and hypercalcemia?
Normal to low
How quickly does hypercalcemia resolve in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism?
Rapidly - within 1-2 day of corticosteroids and fluids
Patients with CRF often have a total hypercalcemia and elevated PTH. What is their ionized calcium?
- Normal or low - helps you distinguish from primary hyperparathyroidism
- In one study, less than 10% of these dogs had ionized hypercalcemia
- Ionized hypercalcemia more common in cats
Why are clinical signs of hypercalcemia uncommon in CRF patients?
Clinical signs are due to ionized hypercalcemia, and in CRF, ionized calcium is typically normal to low
Of 490 dogs with CRF, what percent had ionized hypercalcemia? Hypocalcemia?
Hypercalcemia - 9%
Normocalcemia - 55%
Hypocalcemia - 36%
Of 102 cats with CRF, what percent had ionized hypercalcemia? Hypocalcemia?
Hypercalcemia - 29%
Normocalcemia - 61%
Hypocalcemia - 10%
In renal secondary hyperparathyroidism, elevated PTH (not necessarily calcium) contributes to what?
Disease progression
The use of low dose calcitriol to reduce PTH concentrations has what effects on CRF patients?
- Reduces toxic concentrations of PTH
- Improves QOL
- Reduces disease progression and prolongs survival
- Low doses typically do not lead to excessive intestinal absorption of calcium
If hypercalcemia develops while on calcitriol therapy, what dosing scheme can be used?
Twice weekly - still suppresses PTH without intestinal absorption of calcium
In dogs with CRF, total hypercalcemia, and normal ionized calcium, what is driving the increase in total calcium?
Increased in complexed calcium - calcium bound to organic anions (citrate, phosphates, lactate, oxalates)
What does tertiary hyperparathyroidism refer to?
Patients with CRF that develop ionized hypercalcemia and excessive PTH secretion that is not inhibited by hypercalcemia - likely a progression of secondary hyperparathyroidism
Why is the parathyroid gland secreting more PTH in cases of tertiary hyperparathyroidism?
Likely not autonomous secretion. Rather, it takes more ionized calcium to inhibit PTH secretion (higher “set point”) due to a lack of calcitriol and reduced expression of calcium receptors
What are the characteristic clinicopathologic findings in patients with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy?
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypophosphatemia
- Hypercalciuria
- Increased fractional excretion of phosphorus
What mechanisms are responsible for hypercalcemia in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy?
- Increased osteoclastic bone resorption
- PTHrP stimulates renal calcium resorption
- Some forms, but not all, increase calcitriol as well
What two neoplasias are most responsible for hypercalcemia of malignancy in the cat?
Lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma
What cytokines may synergize with PTHrP to induce hypercalcemia?
IL-1, TNF-alpha, TGF-alpha or beta - can stimulate bone resorption too
What percent of dogs with lymphoma are hypercalcemic?
20-40%
What percent of dogs with AGASACA are hypercalcemic?
30-50%