All issues > Volume 21(12); 1978

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1978;21(12):1138-1146. Published online December 31, 1978.

Hypocalcemia in Infancy.

Hee Sook Kim, Byung Kil Cheun, Ji Sub Oh, Chin Moo Kang

¹Department of Pediatrics, Presbyterian Hospital Daegu, Korea.

Abstract

23 cases of infantile hypocalcemia which were admitted to the pediatric department of Daegy Presbyterian Hospital during the past 2 years from August 1975 throght July 1977 were clinically evaluated. The results were as follows: 1) The age distribution was ranging from one day to six months with 19 cases(82.6%) of newborn under the 1 month of age and sex incidence revealed male predominance with male to female ratio about 1.5:1 2) 14 cases (60.9%) were fed artificially, 7 cases (30.4%) with breast milk and 2 cases (8.7%) with mixed feeding. 3) Out of 9 cases of which birth weigh were known, 7 cases had low birth weight. 4) In all cases serum calcium was below 8mg% and 12 cases (52.1%) had 6~7mg% of serum calcium. 5) In all cases, the serum phosphorus was above 4 mg% and 16 cases (69.6%) had serum phosphorus above 6mg%. 6) The cardinal symptoms and signs in order of frequency were convulsion (69.5%), poor feeding(47.8%), irritability (34.8%), hypotonicity (21.7%). There was no significant differences in clinical symptoms for early and late neonatal hypocalcemia. 7) 8 cases (33.3%) were complicated with infections. 8) All cases were recovered after receiving calcium therapy. 19 cases (90.5%) had regained normal serum calcium level within 4 weeks after initiation of calcium therapy.

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