News

Q&A With RARE-X Disease Data Platform Founder, Nicole Boice

The nonprofit RARE-X is creating an easily-accessible, centralized data hub for all rare disease patient data that can help researchers answer questions about existing disorders, discover new ones, and work toward finding treatments. It was spun out of the work that Nicole Boice, founder and chief engagement officer of…

Hypoparathyroidism Tied to Buildup of Pressure in Young Girl’s Skull

Hypoparathyroidism caused a buildup of pressure around a young girl’s brain, according to a report from Italy focused on a difficult diagnosis. “Our case report is of particular interest, since the child did not present with typical neurological hypoparathyroidism symptoms,” the researchers wrote. “Therefore, we recommend that hypoparathyroidism should…

Rare Disease Day Events Bring Awareness, Equity to Patients

Since 2008, Rare Disease Day — the last day of February — has brought together patients, caregivers, family members, friends, and advocates from around the world to raise awareness and improve equity for the more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect more than 300 million people. In 2022, the…

Forteo Safely Treats 4-Month-Old With Severe Hypoparathyroidism

Six months of treatment with Forteo (teriparatide) — a lab-made parathyroid hormone fragment approved for osteoporosis — safely led to calcium and phosphate control in a 4-month old girl with severe hypoparathyroidism, a case report found. These findings highlight the potential of this off-label medication to treat infants with…

Vitamin D Levels May Predict PTH Drop After Thyroid Cancer Surgery

Vitamin D levels can accurately predict reductions in parathyroid hormone (PTH) following thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), a study reports. Its researchers recommend vitamin D supplements before surgery to minimize the drop in PTH levels in patients with PTC who have vitamin D deficiency. The study, “…

APS1 Case Report Supports Early Immunosuppressive Treatment

Starting immunosuppressive treatment early in the disease course normalized some signs of autoimmunity, halted the development of additional autoimmune diseases, and reversed total body hair loss in a girl with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1), a case study shows. While immunosuppressive therapies have been generally reserved for life-threatening…

Hypoparathyroidism Not Always Seen in APS1, Case Study Suggests

Impaired activity of the adrenal glands, a condition called Addison’s disease, may be the only typical manifestation of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1) to have occurred decades after diagnosis, a case report suggests. APS1, a rare inherited autoimmune disorder, is typically characterized by at least two of three manifestations:…

CASR Mutation Found as Cause of Patient’s Low Calcium Levels

A 13-year-old boy with autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH) — a genetic form of hypoparathyroidism characterized by low calcium — who was unresponsive to conventional therapies was successfully treated with recombinant parathyroid hormone (rhPTH), according to a case report. rhPTH is a synthetic parathyroid hormone that can help regulate calcium…