The
hypercalciuria evolution and other bone metabolism parameters were evaluated in patients with
tuberculosis after treatment. Twenty-two patients with
tuberculosis and 54 normal subjects were studied; they consumed an average diet (
calcium intake 1000 mg/day). Ten of these patients and nine normal subjects were also studied after a low
calcium diet (400 mg/
calcium/day) and after a load of oral
calcium of 1000 mg (
calcium absorption test). The study with an average diet was performed after 1 week (basal) and 3, 6, and 12 months after the antituberculosis treatment was started; the
calcium absorption test was carried out 2 weeks, 3 and 12 months after the treatment was started. On an average diet, patients with
tuberculosis presented, at baseline state, lower
calcidiol levels than normal controls. Serum
calcitriol levels at baseline were higher than at 6 and 12 months. Serum
parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients with
tuberculosis were lower than in normal controls at baseline, but these levels were similar to controls at 3, 6, and 12 months
after treatment. During the
calcium absorption test and under basal conditions, patients with
tuberculosis showed lower serum PTH and
calcidiol levels in all the dietetic situations than in normal controls. However, serum
calcitriol levels were higher than in controls after the restrictive diet. After 3 months of treatment, urinary
calcium excretion was normal in patients with
tuberculosis during the average and low diets, but higher than in control group after
calcium load. After 12 months of treatment, all the biochemical parameters of the patients with
tuberculosis were similar to the control group under all the dietetic situations. These data indicate that antituberculous treatment, although it may contribute to the production of some alteration in the
calcium and
vitamin D metabolism, basically favors the correction of disturbances associated with
tuberculosis.