STUDIES OF CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS METABOLISM: VI. In Hypoparathyroidism and Chronic Steatorrhea with Tetany with Special Consideration of the Therapeutic Effect of Thyroid.

Following the observation by Aub, Bauer, Heath, and Ropes (1), that the thyroid hormone exerts a marked effect upon the excretion of calcium, it became of interest to determine the therapeutic effect of this internal secretion upon the calcium metabolism in tetany. In hyperthyroidism, although the blood calcium and phosphorus levels are essentially normal, the calcium and phosphorus excretions are abnormally high. Tetany of the low calcium variety, however, has been shown to have an abnormally low calcium excretion associated with the abnormally low blood calcium level. The primary purpose of these metabolic studies was to study the influence of thyroid medication on the level of calcium and phosphorus in the blood and excreta of patients suffering from tetany. Other observations, however, were made for comparison and this paper includes data illustrating the influence on inorganic salt metabolism of: