Hypercalcemia and suppressed PTH levels in a renal transplant patient infected with Pneumocystis carinii

Pneunrocystis carinii pneumonia is a serious and relatively common complication of immunosuppressive therapy. In immuriocompromised patients, P. carind pneumonia can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Another common complication, typically seen in the subpopulation of renal transplant recipients, is hypercalcemia. The prevalence of hypercalcemia varies, reaching as high as 71%. We report the case of a renal transplant recipient who developed P. carinii pneumonia and hypercalcemia, the latter being resolved after the successful treatment of the former. We argue that there is a causal relationship between P. carinii pneumonia and hypercalcemia in renal transplant recipients. In immunocompromised patients, pulmonary infection accompanied by hypercalcernia should raise the suspicion of P. carind pneumonia.