Serum Calcium Levels in Skeletal Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the serum calcium levels in the patients suffering from tuberculosis of various bones and joints. DESIGN: Observational case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF THE STUDY: The Department of Orthopedics Unit-I Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro from December 2006 to November 2007. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients, age 06-75 years, of either gender suffering from tuberculosis of various bones and joints were evaluated for the serum calcium levels. There were 14 males and 27 females with male-female ratio of 2:3. The involved bones and joints included knee (19.51%), dorsal spine (17%), elbow (14.63%), ankle (14.63%), wrist (12.19%), hip (9.75%), shoulder (7.31%) and ilium (4.87%). RESULTS: Serum calcium level range was 1.7-mg/dl, minimum 5.50 mg/dl and maximum was 7.20 mg/dl. Mean±SD calcium level was 7.50±0.92 mg/dl, median 7.50 mg/dl and mode was 7.40 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: The serum calcium levels in patients suffering from skeletal tuberculosis appear to be low.