Life expectancy is poor in cancer-associated hypercalcemia even in patients who are actively treated. Antihypercalcemic therapy has an important palliative role, however, because symptoms are usually improved and, in many cases, patients may be made well enough to be discharged from the hospital during the terminal stages of their illness.

Plasma concentrations of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and albumin-adjusted calcium were measured along with nephrogenous cyclic adenosine monophosphate (NcAMP) in 10 normal women longitudinally through pregnancy. In addition, an assessment of bone resorption was made in these same subjects by the measurement in true fasting urine specimens of the calcium/creatinine ratio (Ca/Cr), hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio (HP/Cr), pyridinoline/creatinine ratio (Pyr/Cr) and deoxypyridinoline/creatine ratio (Dpyr/Cr). The PTHrP level rose through pregnancy from (mean +/- SEM) 0.8 +/- 0.2 pmol/l in the first trimester to 2.7 +/- 0.2 pmol/l 6 weeks postpartum (p < 0.0001). Serum alkaline phosphatase rose from 94 +/- 8 U/l (first trimester) to 347 +/- 25 U/l at term (p < 0.0001). A significant positive correlation was evident between PTHrP and alkaline phosphatase up to term (r = 0.44, p < 0.005). Parathyroid hormone concentrations remained unchanged during pregnancy but rose significantly postpartum from 1.8 +/- 0.2 pmol/l (first trimester) to 3.1 +/- 0.5 pmol/l (p < 0.0001). Similarly, osteocalcin, a marker of bone formative activity, remained unchanged through pregnancy but rose significantly at 6 weeks after delivery to 0.38 +/- 0.05 nmol/l from 0.19 +/- 0.03 nmol/l (first trimester) (p = 0.019). No significant change was noted in serum-adjusted calcium or NcAMP, either through pregnancy or at the postpartum assessment. Fasting urinary Ca/Cr fell through pregnancy from 0.70 +/- 0.11 (first trimester) to a nadir of 0.19 +/- 0.04 6 weeks postpartum (p = 0.007).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1. Blood pressure, left ventricular mass and platelet cytosolic free calcium concentrations were measured in 23 patients with untreated primary hyperparathyroidism, 30 normotensive control subjects and 23 control subjects matched for age, sex and blood pressure. In 12 patients measurements were repeated after parathyroidectomy. 2. Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism had significantly elevated blood pressures (139 +/- 6/86 +/- 3 mmHg, mean +/- SEM) compared with control subjects (125 +/- 2/78 +/- 1 mmHg), but high values persisted after hypercalcaemia was corrected. 3. Despite chronic extracellular hypercalcaemia, intracellular free calcium levels were lower in patients with hyperparathyroidism than in controls matched for age, sex and blood pressure (median concentrations 81.5 nmol/l vs 93 nmol/l, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 20.1; P less than 0.05) and values tended to increase after parathyroidectomy. 4. Left ventricular mass index was increased in the primary hyperparathyroid group as compared with control subjects matched for age, sex and blood pressure (123 g/m2 vs 100 g/m2, 95% confidence interval -36.1 to -3.1; P = 0.03). Parathyroidectomy resulted in a small reduction of the left ventricular mass index (123.5 g/m2 vs 104 g/m2, 95% confidence interval 46.5 to 2.5; P = 0.1) but no change in blood pressure. 5. Hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy in primary hyperparathyroidism are associated with relatively low levels of free calcium in platelets.

A 5-yr double-blind fluoridated milk study has been completed and, following baseline stratification, 94 children aged 4 1/2/5 1/2 yr were allocated to the test group and 93 to the control. Each subject received 200 ml school milk daily, identification between the test and control plastic packs being by colour-coding alone with the former containing 1.5 mgF- giving a potential topical benefit of approximately 7 ppmF- per school day. After 5 yr, 50 of the test children remained and 56 of the controls. While the mean DMFT incremental data relating to permanent teeth was always in favour of the test group, it was not until the fourth year that a significant difference was obtained (P less than 0.01) between the fluoridated group (mean, 1.65) and the non-fluoridated group (mean, 2.56). For permanent teeth which were unerupted at baseline, the mean DMFS differences increased to 39.6% at the same time and to 48.0% by the fifth year. No benefit was noted for previously erupted primary teeth. Cavitation was less in the test group throughout the study. When the third, fourth and fifth year DMFT reductions obtained were compared with previously published artificial water fluoridated data where children were of comparable age at the onset of water adjustment, similar caries inhibition data were noted.