1. Preliminary results from a study of calcium absorption in pre-eclampsia show that in 5 subjects with moderate to severe pre-eclampsia, bp 150/1 10, 1+ to 3+ proteinuria, an approximately 13% percent reduction in calcium absorption is exhibited compared to 3 normotensive controls. 2. A study of calcium absorption in 3 children with Barrter's syndrome has shown that children with this disorder exhibit increased absorption of dietary calcium relative to normal controls (average fractional absorption = 0.705 +.146 vs .297 for controls). This elevated absorption diminished to an average value of 0.392 + .173 when patients were placed on indomethacin therapy. We have observed that, for the subjects with Barrter's syndrome, the urinary calcium of dietary origin returns to levels no different from those seen in normal children after indomethacin treatment. This is significant since total urinary calcium levels in these treated children remain elevated relative to normal values. The conclusion is that bone demineralization is making a substantial contribution to urinary calcium levels in these children. 3. Calcium absorption and distribution in hypogonadal adolescent males: results from the first 2 subjects of a planned group of 5, have been obtained. Studies were performed prior to intervention and after a treatment consisting of 2 injections of 100mg testosterone enanthate spaced 3 weeks apart. These studies show an average 40% increase in calcium absorption coupled with a similar increase in bone accretion rate. These results are consistent with similar observations of increased protein synthesis rate determined from measurements of leucine metabolism and glutamate oxidation done simultaneously with the calcium studies. 4. A subject studied during the third trimester of a pregnancy, during lactation and serving as a control six months after weaning the infant show a calcium debit of about 20 g to the maternal skeleton during the 3rd trimester despite a 50% increase in fractional absorption of dietary calcium during this period. In addition, this subject showed a loss of calcium of the order of 5 g/month during lactation.
