This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints, Permissions and Rights Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by KALES, A. N. Articles by PHANG, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by KALES, A. N. Articles by PHANG, J. M.

Dietary Calcium Perturbation in Patients with Abnormal Calcium Deposition

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute Bethesda, Maryland 20014

The response to dietary calcium perturbation was studied in 3 individuals with pathologic calcium deposition. In all 3 subjects, base-line kinetic studies on normal dietary calcium intake revealed an increased bone accretion rate, increased bone resorption rate and decreased renal excretion rate as compared to normal subjects on a similar calcium intake. In spite of these compensatory adjustments to pathologic sequestration of calcium, the patients' pattern of metabolic response to dietary calcium perturbation was similar to those of normal subjects. The relationship of responses to pathologic and physiologic perturbation allowed us to form the following hypotheses: 1) Bone accretion rate is independent of dietary calcium intake (V_i). 2) Fractional gastrointestinal calcium absorption () varies inversely with V_i. 3) Renal rate constant for calcium excretion (_u) and bone resorption rate respond homeostatically to the net perturbation introduced by changes in Vⁱ and .

¹ Present address: University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics, Chicago, Ill. 60637.

² Address reprint requests to J. M. Phang, Metabolism Branch, NCI, Bethesda, Md. 20014.

Received January 15, 1970.