Management of hypercalcaemic crisis in adults: Current role of renal replacement therapy

Neoplasms and hematologic diseases are the predominant etiologies of hypercalcemic crisis in adults and the immediate treatment is mainly medical and symptomatic. The use of renal replacement therapy (RRT) is often necessary to correct the hypercalcemia, uremia and electrolyte disturbances related to Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). The aim of this work was to determine the etiologies and the place of RRT in treating patients with hypercalcaemic crisis. We conducted a retrospective study for 36 months at the Nephrology Unit, University Hospital, Oujda, eastern of Morocco. We included all adult patients diagnosed with hypercalcemic crisis that was defined as corrected total serum calcium of >3.5 mmol/l. 12 patients were collected. All patients were female and 5 patients were elderly (≥65 years). Three patients had a serum calcium value of >4 mmol/l and the highest calcium value was 5.8 mmol/l. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were observed in 8 cases. AKI was observed in 8 cases. Three patients had chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. Neoplasm was noted in 9 cases. All patients received venous rehydration, glucocorticoids and biphosphonates. The use of RRT with low calcium dialysate was performed in 11 cases. Three patients died during the first 24 h of hospitalization. RRT must play its full role as first line treatment of hypercalcemia crisis. Improvements in hemodialysis techniques and the use of low calcium or calcium-free dialysates currently allows this therapeutic measure to be prescribed safely, and the benefit-risk balance is positive for the great benefit provided by dialysis.