Vitamin D-Mediated hypercalcemia as the initial manifestation of pulmonary cryptococcosis in an HIV-uninfected patient

Abstract

Hypercalcemia has been described in variety of granulomatous diseases and fungal infections. However, hypercalcemia in pulmonary cryptococcosis is rarely disclosed. We report a 57-year-old HIV-uninfected woman with diabetes, who initially presented with altered mental status, severe hypercalcemia with increased serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] concentration and suppressed parathyroid hormone. Pulmonary cryptococcosis was diagnosed as the cause of hypercalcemia. Successful treatment resulted in the resolution of hypercalcemia and decrease of the serum 1,25(OH)2D concentration to within the normal range. In summary, although HIV infection is a major risk factor for cryptococcosis, vitamin D-mediated hypercalcemia could be the initial presentation of pulmonary cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients. © 2012 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.