Endocrine Abstracts

Keywords

Sarcoidosis, serum, 24 h urine, calcium.

Introduction

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology that is defined by the formation of granulomas in different organ systems. Due to these pathologies, there may be an increase in serum and 24 h urine calcium that can have a clinical impact on the course of the disease.

Aim

The goal of this study was to assess the changes in total serum calcium and 24 h urine at the time of diagnosis in new cases of sarcoidosis from 2013 till 2018, as well as to calculate an annual disease incidence rate.

Materials and methods

In a retrospective study, medical records of all patients who were screened due to suspected sarcoidosis (n = 1271) in the Riga Eastern University Hospital’s ’Clinic of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases’ between the 1st of January 2013 and 31st of December 2018 were analyzed. For further analysis, only patients with first-time histologically and/or clinically confirmed diagnosis of sarcoidosis (n = 956; 507 men and 449 women) were selected, and only the data from the first episode was evaluated. The information was obtained from patients’ case files and medical records in the centralized hospital information system.

Results

On average, there were 159 (ranging from 140 to 182) new sarcoidosis cases (approximately 46.96% women and 53.04% men) per year, with an annual incidence rate calculated between 6.92 (2013) and 9.16 cases (2015) per 100.000 population in Latvia. Patients’ age ranged from 16 to 84 years with mean age of 39 ± 13.4 years. The highest number of newly diagnosed sarcoidosis was in the age group of 30–39 years (n = 315 or 33%; 114 women (25.39%) and 201 men (29.64%)). Serum calcium level was evaluated in 664 patients (69.46%), hypercalcaemia was detected in 9.2% cases (n = 61), there was no significant association found between elevated serum calcium and gender. 24 h urine calcium level was evaluated in 716 patients (74.89%), hypercalciuria was detected in 17.6% cases (n = 126). 24-h urine calcium was significantly higher in men, regardless of units used (mg (P < 0.001); mmol (P < 0.011)). Pearson Chi-Square test showed that men had a tendency to hypercalciuria (3.5), but women – to hypocalciuria (2.4).

Conclusions

Many patients lack serum and/or 24 h urine calcium levels evaluated at the time of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Hypercalcaemia was observed in 9.2% cases, but hypercalciuria – in 17.6%. No significant association was found between serum calcium level and gender, but 24 h urine calcium level was significantly higher in men.