Benign transient hyperphosphatasemia of infancy and childhood.

Six children, aged 11 to 25 months, were found to have elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (1,077 to 9,271 U/L) in the absence of disease. Benign transient hyperphosphatasemia (BTH) was diagnosed when the serum ALP levels returned to normal or decreased significantly within 3 months. Several theories have been suggested regarding the pathophysiology of BTH, but the exact cause is still unclear. We report six cases of BTH and review the literature. It is important to recognize this condition and to avoid extensive and unnecessary evaluation.