Hypocalcaemia in severe meningococcal infections.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of hypocalcaemia in critically ill children with meningococcal disease.


METHODS
In a prospective cohort study, 70 of 80 patients admitted consecutively with a clinical diagnosis of meningococcal disease to intensive care had measurements of total and ionised calcium on admission. Parathormone and calcitonin were measured in a proportion of the children.


RESULTS
Total and ionised calcium concentrations were low in 70% of the children. There was a weak relation of calcium concentration to the volume of blood derived colloid which had been given, but a good relation to disease severity, where sicker children had lower calcium concentrations. Although the parathormone concentration was higher in children with lower calcium concentrations, some children had low ionised calcium concentrations, without an increase of parathormone concentration. Serum calcitonin concentration was not related to calcium concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypocalcaemia is common in meningococcal disease.
Baines
P B
PB
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, Eaton Rd, Liverpool L12 2AP, UK. p.baines@liverpool.ac.uk
Thomson
A P
AP
Fraser
W D
WD
Hart
C A
CA
D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003102:Colloids; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D003102:Colloids; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002116:Calcitonin