Treatment of Hypoparathyroidism and Pseudohypoparathyroidism with Metabolites of Vitamin D: Evidence for Impaired Conversion of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D to 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D

Abstract

In hypoparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyroidism, pharmacologic doses of vitamin D correct hypocalcemia, but the mechanism is unknown. In two children with hypoparathyroidism and one with pseudohypoparathyroidism we tested the hypothesis that in these conditions there is a defect in synthesis of 1 α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, the principal active metabolite of vitamin D. In both conditions, minute doses of the metabolite (0.04 to 0.08 μg per kilogram of body weight per day) quickly corrected hypocalcemia and increased intestinal calcium absorption. On the other hand, the effective dose of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ to maintain normocalcemia was 3 to 4 μg per kilogram per day in the two conditions. Thus, the dosage ratio of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ to 1 α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ approximated 100:1. By contrast, this ratio was approximately 3:1 in two infants with vitamin D deficiency, a condition in which optimal metabolism of vitamin D would be expected. These findings suggest an impaired conversion of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 1 α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in both hypoparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyroidism. (N Engl J Med 293:840–844, 1975)