title: Hypocalcemic seizure in an adolescent with Down syndrome: a manifestation of unrecognized celiac disease.
abstract: Celiac disease (CD) affects up to 1% of the general population. Classically, it manifests with intestinal symptoms (diarrhea, steatorrhea, abdominal pain or discomfort) associated with weight loss and anemia. Seizure is a rare form of presentation of CD. A 13-year-old female patient with Down syndrome was admitted to the pediatric emergency department with generalized tonicclonic seizure in addition to numbness around the mouth, paresthesias, and muscular cramping for seven days. Investigations revealed severe hypocalcemia and vitamin D deficiency, which were a consequence of malabsorption secondary to histopathologically confirmed CD. Physicians should be aware that unrecognized CD can cause severe hypocalcemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Disease and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey. drkorkmazanil@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hüseyin Anıl
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Ceyhun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dizdarer
authors.forename: Ciğdem Omür
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Ecevit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000209:etiology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*