THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF SERUM ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME-ACTIVITY IN THE DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF HYPERCALCEMIA

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  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (7) , 447-451
Abstract
Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) activity is usually elevated in sarcoidosis, and this raises the possibility that SACE may be a useful diagnostic tool in distinguishing sarcoidosis from other hypercalcemic disorders. SACE was measured in a large number of patients with various granulomatous, metabolic and hypercalcemic disorders to determine its predictive value. Elevated SACE activity was found in 4 of 35 surgically proven cases of primary hyperparathyroidism and in 3 of 13 patients with oncogenic hypercalcemia. In 6 patients with sarcoidosis and hypercalcemia, SACE activity was elevated; corticosteroid therapy lowered both the serum Ca and SACE levels to normal. SACE activity is not a specific test for the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia but it remains useful as a chemical marker of successful treatment of sarcoidosis.