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Definition
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Definition of Hypoparathyroidism and Related Disorders
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REMEMBER: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please contact your personal physician.
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General Definition
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Hypoparathyroidism is a disorder that causes lower than normal levels of calcium in the blood due to insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone. This condition can be inherited, associated with other disorders, or it may result from neck surgery. Hypoparathyroidism affects males and females in equal numbers. It is seen more often in children under 16 and in adults over 40.
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Symptoms
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Hypoparathyroidism is characterized by weakness, muscle cramps; abnormal sensations such as tingling; burning and numbness (paresthesias) of the hands; excessive nervousness; loss of memory; headaches and uncontrollable cramping muscle movements of the wrists and feet. Other symptoms may be spasms of the facial muscles (Chvostek Sign); the contraction of muscles produced by mild compression of nerves (Trousseaus Sign); malformations of the teeth, including enamel and roots of the teeth; and malformed finger nails. In some hypoparathyroid conditions, there may also be pernicious anemia; dry and coarse skin; patchy hair loss (alopecia); thin, scant eyebrows; patches of skin that have lost pigment (vitiligo); and mental depression.
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Causes
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The exact cause of hypoparathyroidism is unknown. It can occur as a separate disorder, in association with other endocrine gland disorders that affect the thyroid, ovaries or adrenal glands, or it may be due to the removal of or damage to the parathyroid glands. It may also be inherited and transmitted through autosomal recessive genes.
Human traits, including the classic genetic diseases, are the product of the interaction of two genes, one received from the father and one from the mother. In recessive disorders, the condition does not appear unless a person inherits the same defective gene for the same trait for each patient. If a patient receives one normal gene and one gene for the disease, the person will be a carrier for the disease, but usually will show no symptoms. The risk of transmitting the disease to the children of a couple, both of whom are carriers for a recessive disorder, is twenty-five percent. Fifty percent of their children will be carriers, but healthy as described above. Twenty-five percent of their children will receive both normal genes, one from each parent and will be genetically normal.
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Related Disorders
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Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of hypoparathyroidism. Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis.
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DiGeorge Syndrome
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DiGeorge Syndrome is a complex group of congenital malformations among which is a susceptibility of recurrent infections due to a decreased immune system and the occurrence of seizures during infancy due to low levels of calcium in the blood. The disorder results from faulty development of two of the pharyngeal pouches during early development of the fetus. The parathyroid gland which regulates the concentration of calcium in the blood, and the thymus gland which transforms certain lymphocytes into T-Cells, (responsible for cellular and long term immune reactions), are absent or abnormal in DiGeorge Syndrome.
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Hypo-calcemia
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Hypo-calcemia is characterized by abnormally low levels of calcium and high levels of phosphorous in the blood. It is characterized by spasms of the facial muscles, abdominal and muscle cramps, spasms of the foot and wrist (carpopedal), and strange sensations such as tingling and burning or numbness (paresthesias) of the lips, tongue, fingers and feet. In some severe cases, there may be spasms of the larynx and generalized convulsions.
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Osteomalacia
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Osteomalacia is a disease that causes softening of the bones due to insufficient levels of calcium. This results in the bones becoming brittle, and easily broken. It is characterized by pains in the limbs, spine and pelvis, and general weakness. It is seen mostly in adult women.
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Pseudo-hypoparathyroidism
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Pseudo-hypoparathyroidism is a hereditary disorder characterized by an inadequate response to the parathyroid hormone, although this hormone is present in normal amounts. This inadequate response affects bone growth in patients with this disorder, headaches, weakness, easy fatigue, lack of energy, and blurred vision light may also occur. (Patients diagnosed with pseudo-hypoparatahyroidism also manifest many of the symptoms commonly associated with hypoparathyroidism. -Editor)
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