Paris Hilton was released from a Los Angeles County jail early Thursday because of an unspecified medical problem.

She’ll serve the remainder of her sentence for violating probation in home confinement, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

The 26-year-old hotel heiress was sent home shortly after 2 a.m. wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

Hilton was sentenced to 45 days for violating her probation in a reckless driving case, but had been expected to serve 23 days in jail because of state rules allowing shorter sentences for good behaviour.

The socialite ended up spending three full days at the all-women’s facility in Lynwood, but because she checked in late Sunday and left early Thursday, authorities credited her with five days of time served.

She will be confined to her Hollywood Hills home for 40 days.

“I can’t specifically talk about the medical situation other than to say that yes it played a part in this,” Whitmore said.

Whitmore refused to answer questions from reporters when asked if the condition was physical or psychological.

He did say it was not a staph infection.

The jail provided her with a pamphlet on the skin infection when she checked in. Inmates released the day she entered the facility had said the jail was dirty and infections common.

She returned to her lavish 251-square-metre home in the Hollywood Hills, where authorities say she will be confined for 40 days.

The eight-bedroom, Spanish-style home, built in 1926, sits on a 593-square-metre lot above the Sunset Strip.

Presumably, Hilton will have the run of the grounds as long as she does not step outside the gates.

The conditions of Hilton’s home confinement were not immediately disclosed.

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