Two cases of hypercalcemic nephropathy associated with primary hyperparathyroidism

We present two cases of hypercalcemic nephropathy associated with primary hyperparathyroidism. Case 1 is a 37-year-old man who had repeated bone fractures and recurrent ureteral stones, which led to the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. Case 2 is a 35-year-old man in whom parathyroid carcinoma was discovered because of secondary nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, resulting from severe hypercalcemia. Both patients developed mild renal dysfunction during the course of hyperparathyroidism. In the renal biopsy materials obtained from case 1, the renal interstitium showed chronic inflammatory changes. The tubules were partly damaged (focal necrosis). Deposition of calcium was someties noted within the mitochondria of the tubular epithelial cells. Some glomeruli showed glomerular sclerosis. In biopsy materials obtained from case 2 after resection of the carcinoma, similar histological features were observed, but tubular atrophy and necrosis were advanced. Polyuria and hypercalcemia were ameliorated after resection. These findings indicate that severe hypercalcemia might induce tubular dysfunction as well as organized changes.