Transient, marked, unexplained elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase

Five children, aged 16 to 38 months, were found to have serum alkaline phosphatase levels seven to 30 times the upper limit of the reference range. Studies suggested a skeletal origin for the enzyme. No other abnormalities or explanations for the unusual enzyme levels were found. The enzyme levels r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 252; no. 23; p. 3289
Main Authors Steinherz, P G, Steinherz, L J, Nisselbaum, J S, Murphy, M L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 21.12.1984
Subjects
Alkaline Phosphatase - blood
Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism
Bone and Bones - enzymology
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Infant
Leukemia, Lymphoid - enzymology
Male
Phosphates - blood
Rhabdomyosarcoma - enzymology
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Summary:Five children, aged 16 to 38 months, were found to have serum alkaline phosphatase levels seven to 30 times the upper limit of the reference range. Studies suggested a skeletal origin for the enzyme. No other abnormalities or explanations for the unusual enzyme levels were found. The enzyme levels returned to the reference range. A retrospective review of the records of 74 children with lymphoblastic leukemia, who were 2 to 4 years of age at diagnosis, disclosed only four cases of transient, isolated serum alkaline phosphatase elevation similar in degree to those described herein. The review covered 661 patient-years follow-up and 2,417 enzyme measurements. Benign, transient hyperphosphatasemia is a rarely recognized clinical entity. Awareness of this condition should curtail the extensive evaluation that may follow the detection of such an abnormality.
ISSN:0098-7484
DOI:10.1001/jama.1984.03350230049033