Severe hypophosphatemia: A rare cause of intravascular hemolysis

A 3-year-old child presented with severe hyperphosphatemia (phosphate 45: mg/dL) secondary to chronic enema use. Following aggressive correction of the hyperphosphatemia, hypophosphatemia ensued (phosphate 1.7 mg/dL). Concurrently, the patient developed severe intravascular hemolysis and RBC morphologic defects. The hemolysis and morphologic defects corrected with return to normal serum phosphate levels. Severe hypophosphatemia is a rare cause of intravascular hemolysis. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.