Radiological Features of Long-Standing Hypoparathyroidism

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is an extremely rare endocrinal disorder with a prevalence of 37 per 100,000. Herein we presented a case of a 30-year-old male who came with symptoms of muscle weakness, carpopedal spasms and limitation of movement which gradually progressed over 8 years. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old male patient presented in an outpatient department of a tertiary care centre with a complaint of severe pain in both hip joints. He had generalized muscle weakness, facial discomfort, recurrent episodes of carpopedal spasms and crampy abdominal pains. On clinical examination, the patient had Chvostek sign and Trousseau sign. Biochemical tests revealed hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and hypomagnesemia with low plasma parathyroid hormone level. X-ray of the pelvis and spine revealed spondylarthropathic changes of long-standing hypoparathyroidism. Computed Tomography of the brain revealed bilateral basal ganglia calcifications. The patient was treated with intravenous calcium gluconate, magnesium and oral vitamin D3. On follow-up the patient showed improvement of muscle weakness and carpopedal spasm with near-normal biochemical parameters. However, there was no improvement in symptoms related to spondyloarthropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder with clinic and biochemical features of hypocalcemia. Long- standing hypoparathyroidism can cause spondyloarthropathic changes closely resembling ankylosing spondylitis and DISH. Skeletal changes of long-standing hypoparathyroidism are irreversible. If left untreated, life-threatening complications like cardiac arrhythmias and broncholaryngospasm may occur.