Unveiling the deadly dance of hypocalcemia and lactic acidosis in a 59-year-old woman with B-cell lymphoma

Abstract

Calcium plays a crucial role in the heart’s electrical conduction system and facilitating the contraction of cardiac muscles. Hypocalcemia can result in electrocardiogram findings such as a prolonged QTC interval and eventually torsade de pointes, which in severe cases can progress to cardiac arrest. In cases of B-cell lymphoma, hypocalcemia may arise from various factors. Tumor infiltration can disrupt calcium homeostasis by affecting the parathyroid glands or bone tissue. Acidosis in the context of B-cell lymphoma can cause significant cardiovascular adverse effects. It will reduce peripheral vascular resistance and cardiac muscle contractility, promote dysrhythmias, and disturb oxygen uptake in the lungs. These combined effects markedly compromise cardiac function, increasing the likelihood of cardiac arrest. These mechanisms necessitate comprehensive management strategies in B-cell lymphoma patients. In this case report we present a case of cardiac arrest in a 59-year-old female woman with hypocalcemia and lactic acidosis secondary to B-cell lymphoma.

Keywords

• cardiac arrest
• b-cell lymphoma
• hypocalcemia