Case report: hypoparathyroidism and iron storage disease. Treatment with 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3.

A patient in whom hypoparathyroidism developed as a complication of posttransfusional iron storage disease is described. The hypoparathyroidism occurred after more than 15 years of receiving blood transfusions at frequent intervals. In this patient with thalassemia major the serum PTH levels were undetectable. 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 corrected the hypocalcemia that was resistant to vitamin D2, probably due to the associated liver dysfunction. Other cases reported in the literature are reviewed. It is suggested that hypoparathyroidism occurs more frequently than usually suspected in patients with iron storage disease.