People who excessively consume alcohol are usually also malnourished with regard to minerals. In addition, alcohol treatment is associated with refeeding, which further depletes phosphate, and the stress of alcohol withdrawal may create respiratory alkalosis, which exacerbates hypophosphatemia (see above). Malabsorption – This includes gastrointestinal damage, and also failure to absorb phosphate due to lack of vitamin D, or chronic use of phosphate binders such as sucralfate, aluminum-containing antacids, and (more rarely) calcium-containing antacids. Intravenous iron (usually for anemia) may cause hypophosphatemia. The loss of phosphate is predominantly the result of renal wasting.Primary hypophosphatemia is the most common cause of non-nutritional rickets. Laboratory findings include low-normal serum calcium, moderately low serum phosphate, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, and low serum 1,25 dihydroxy-vitamin D levels, hyperphosphaturia, and no evidence of hyperparathyroidism.Hypophosphatemia decreases 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) causing a left shift in the oxyhemoglobin curve.Other rarer causes include:

Certain blood cancers such as lymphoma or leukemia
Hereditary causes
Liver failure
Tumor-induced osteomalacia

Pathophysiology
Hypophosphatemia is caused by the following three mechanisms:

Inadequate intake (often unmasked in refeeding after long-term low phosphate intake)
Increased excretion (e.g. in hyperparathyroidism, hypophosphatemic rickets)
Shift of phosphorus from the extracellular to the intracellular space. This can be seen in treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis, refeeding, short-term increases in cellular demand (e.g. hungry bone syndrome) and acute respiratory alkalosis. Diagnosis
Hypophosphatemia is diagnosed by measuring the concentration of phosphate in the blood. Concentrations of phosphate less than 0.81 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL) are considered diagnostic of hypophosphatemia, though additional tests may be needed to identify the underlying cause of the disorder.
Treatment
Standard intravenous preparations of potassium phosphate are available and are routinely used in malnourished people and people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Supplementation by mouth is also useful where no intravenous treatment are available. Historically one of the first demonstrations of this was in people in concentration camp who died soon after being re-fed: it was observed that those given milk (high in phosphate) had a higher survival rate than those who did not get milk.Monitoring parameters during correction with IV phosphate
Phosphorus levels should be monitored after 2 to 4 hours after each dose, also monitor serum potassium, calcium and magnesium. Cardiac monitoring is also advised. See also
X-linked hypophosphatemia

References


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