Calcium, Ionized – 004804

Calcium in serum exists ionized, bound to organic anions such as phosphate and citrate, and bound to proteins (mainly albumin). Of these, ionized calcium is the physiologically important form. Measurement of serum ionized calcium provides insight into the effect of total protein and albumin on serum calcium levels. A patient can have high total calcium, with normal ionized calcium and increased total protein and/or albumin, as in dehydration or in myeloma. Women have greater circadian variation of ionized calcium and intact PTH than men.¹ There is an inverse relationship between ionized calcium and phosphate concentration.