Malignant hyperthermia is a rare but potentially life-threatening genetically-inherited condition in which severe autonomic instability is induced by exposure to various anesthetics. The most common offending agents are halothane (and any other halogenated anesthetic compound) and succinylcholine, and…
Dent Disease is a rare, X-linked inherited disease of pediatric nephrology. It can be filed under the category of “renal tubular dysfunction” and is also known as “X-linked Recessive Nephrolithiasis.” Clinical characteristics of Dent Disease include recurrent renal…
Sometimes the formulations of vitamin D can get confusing. Here’s a few key points: 1. The terms “vitamin D2” and “vitamin D3” do not refer to the hydroxylation status of vitamin D–either D2 or D3 can exist in…
Calciphylaxis is a rare but severe dermatologic condition affecting end-stage renal disease individuals for reasons which remain obscure. Histologic biopsy is the gold-standard for making the diagnosis; it typically demonstrates calcification within the media of small and medium-sized…
The TRP (transient receptor potential) family of proteins is a group of related ion channels which is becoming increasingly relevant to the field of nephrologists. The TRPs are cation channels which are responsible for moving Ca2+ and Mg2+…
It turns out that not only do gadolinium-based contrast agents result in nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), but certain ones can also interfere with some of the common assays for quantifying serum calcium, leading to sporadic hypocalcemia. The two…
The latest theories on nephrolithiasis involve an anatomical lesion termed “Randall’s Plaques”, which are calcified, whitish plaques in the renal papillae which may be visualized during endoscopy (see arrows in Figure a, taken from a JCI paper by…
A quick fact about foscarnet, one of the many drugs which can cause drug-induced hypocalcemia. Foscarnet is an antiviral medication, commonly used in the treatment of herpesviruses and CMV infections (e.g., CMV retinitis). The mechanism of its hypocalcemic…
