The 'shrinking man' syndrome.
3 men presented with loss of height. Quantitative bone histology revealed all the features of hyperparathyroidism, yet the plasma calcium and hand radiographs were normal. 2 of the patients had been on maintenance haemodialysis for over 10 years (a group in whom osteopenia is described) and the third was elderly. It is probable that in these 3 patients the loss of height was due to wedging of vertebrae as a result of the hyperparathyroidism. It is suggested that in all 3 the disease became manifest clinically because the vertebrae may have been osteopenic for other reasons.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D013577:Syndrome
D002118:Calcium