Familial benign hypercalcemia, first described in 1972 by Foley and colleagues (1), is an autosomaldominant condition characterized by asymptomatic hypercalcemiawithout hypercalciuria. Its clinical and pathogenetic features have been reviewed recently (2). We
describe results of a study in another family with benign hypercalcemia, some of whose second-generation offspring were found to have hypocalcemia.
A 51-year-old woman had cervical spondylosis and C5 root compression. Biochemical screening showed the following serum concentrations: calcium, 2. 77 mmol/L; inorganic phosphate, 1.08 mmol/L; and albumin, 44 g/L. Repeated serum calcium estimations ranged from 2.72 to 2.84 mmol/L. Serum parathyroid hormone concentrations were normal.
We evaluated