Hypercalcaemia: furosemide decreased serum calcium.

Clinical bottom line (level 2b)

  1. In patients with hypercalcaemia, furosemide decreased serum calcium concentrations significantly.
Suki et al: New England Journal of Medicine 1970; 2: 836-840
Expires June 2003

The study

Inception cohort study with ?objective ?blinded outcomes, not adjusted for confounding factors, not validated in an independent set of patients.
Setting: clinical research centre and Veterans Affairs hospital, USA

8 patients (aged ?, ?% male) hypercalcaemia
Control Group: (n = 8, 8 analysed): before furosemide treatment. All patients received 1-2 litres of saline during the control period
Experimental Group: (n = 8, 8 analysed): furosemide iv 80-100 mg. Diuresis was sustained by injection of the same dose at intervals of 1-2 hours

100% followed for ?

The evidence

Outcome Control Group
(SD)		 Experimental Group
(SD)		 Mean Difference
(95% CI)
mean serum calcium concentration (mg/100 ml) 14.8
(2.17) 		11.7
(2.00) 		3.10
(0.86 to 5.34)

  • Diuresis induced by furosemide was sustained for between 6 and 47 hours (mean 25.5).

    • Citation

    1. Suki WN, Yium JJ, Von Minden M, et al: Acute treatment of hypercalcemia with furosemide. New England Journal of Medicine 1970; 2: 836-840
    Contributor: Clare Wotton and Musab Hayatli, June 2000
    Reviewer:

    Clinical Question.
    Patient Hypercalcaemia
    Intervention or Exposure furosemide
    Outcome Normocalcaemia Normocalcaemia