title: [Hypocalcemic tetany in 'alternative' soy milk nutrition in the first months of life].
abstract: A 14 weeks old infant was admitted to the intensive care unit with life-threatening hypocalcemic-hyperphosphatemic spasms. Hypocalcemia-hyperphosphatemia was found to have been caused by feeding a high phosphate/ low calcium soy milk. The daily uptake of calcium was calculated to have been 3.3-6 mmol that of phosphate 30 mmol. The parents strongly believed that soy milk formulas were equivalent to breast milk and cow's milk formulas and lived on a strictly vegetarian diet. Therapy with calcium (at an initial dose of 2.25 mmol/kg/day) and 1.25 OH vitamin D3 (Rocaltrol, 0.25 microgram/day) normalized Ca, PO4, vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels rapidly. Vegetarian feeding had led to life-threatening hypocalcemic hyperphosphatemic spasms in the infant. We conclude that malnutrition and false nutritional beliefs have to be included as a potential cause of early hypocalcemia in infants.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeine Pädiatrie und Neonatologie, Justus Liebig Universität Giessen.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anil
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirakca
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dötsch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013746:Tetany / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium
vernacular_title: Hypokalzämische Tetanie bei 'alternativer' Sojamilch-Ernährung in den ersten Lebensmonaten.