Serum and urinary calcium level in Latvian patients with sarcoidosis.

Objectives: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that in 90% of cases affects the lungs. Calcium metabolism testing can be useful in diagnostics. The aim of the study was to assess the correlation between calcium metabolism and sarcoidosis form of manifestation/demographic indicators.

Material and methods: In a retrospective study medical records of all patients ( n = 699) who had been hospitalized with suspected sarcoidosis in a specialized clinic of Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital during the period from January 1st , 2013 until December 31st , 2014 were analyzed. Further analysis included only patients with histologically and/or clinically confirmed sarcoidosis ( n = 281).

Results: Patients' average age at the time of diagnosis was 39 ±13 years. Elevated serum calcium was observed in 9.9% of cases. A statistically significant correlation was found between serum calcium and age ( p < 0.01). There was an association between serum calcium and gender ( p < 0.05) - levels were higher in men (2.43 mmol/l) than in women (2.40 mmol/l). Elevated calcium in 24-hour urine was observed in 22.7% of patients. The mean value was 232.3 mg/24 h, levels were higher in men (258.7 mg/24 h) than in women (202.3 mg/24 h), and the association with gender was statistically significant ( p < 0.01).

Conclusions: We can conclude that in Latvia sarcoidosis affects mostly young and middle-aged people. Both serum calcium and calcium in 24-hour urine are important parameters for sarcoidosis diagnostics. Hypercalcemia was found in 9.9% of patients, hypercalciuria in 22.7% of patients, and both were statistically significantly higher in men, regardless of age.