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Changes of bone remodeling immediately after parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Successful parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism alleviates bone pain and is followed by the development of hypophosphatemia and hypocalcemia, as well as an increase in bone mineral density. An increase in osteoblast surface (Ob.S/BS) is not observed several months after surgery. In this study, we investigated early bone changes at 1 week after parathyroidectomy and the mechanism underlying an increase in bone mineral density. METHODS: Fourteen patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism underwent iliac bone biopsy before and 1 week after parathyroidectomy. Changes in histomorphometric parameters, including osteoclast surface (Oc.S/BS), eroded surface (ES/BS), erosion depth (E.De), fibrosis volume (Fb.V/TV), Ob.S/BS, osteoid volume (OV/BV), osteoid surface (OS/BS), and osteoid thickness (O.Th), were investigated. Changes in texture of mineralized bone and osteoid seams were also investigated. RESULTS: Oc.S/BS (P < 0.001), ES/BS (P < 0.01), and E.De (P < 0.001) decreased, but Fb.V/TV did not change at 1 week postoperatively. In particular, osteoclasts disappeared in almost all patients. Ob.S/BS (P < 0.001) increased, and cuboidal osteoblasts were proliferating on the trabecular surface where osteoclasts had existed before parathyroidectomy. As a result, newly developed osteoblasts coexisted with fibrous tissue after surgery. OV/BV (P < 0.005), OS/BS (P < 0.005), and O.Th (P < 0.005) increased, with lamellar osteoid volume showing a particular increase. Bone mineralization continued despite the low postoperative serum parathyroid hormone level. CONCLUSION: A rapid decrease in serum parathyroid hormone level after parathyroidectomy appears to suppress bone resorption, as well as cause a transient marked increase in bone formation and an increase in normal lamellar osteoid seams.

Adult↗

Spermatogenesis after parathyroidectomy in patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: The changes in spermatogenesis after parathyroidectomy in patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism have not been reported before. STUDY DESIGN: Nineteen men with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyrodism were enrolled in our study. Their ages ranged from 29 to 50 years and duration of dialysis from 72 to 168 months. Before operation, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, intact parathyroid hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone were checked routinely in association with semen analysis. Those data were checked again 3 months after successful operation. Finally, 15 patients had total parathyroidectomy with subcutaneous autotransplantation of 60 or 90 mg of tissue and complete postoperative data was available for 13 patients. The semen analysis included sperm density, volume of semen, motility index, percentage of active motility, and percentage of normal morphology. RESULTS: Ten patients had normal sperm density (> or =20 x 10(6)/mL), and nine patients had oligospermia (<20 x 10(6)/mL) (n = 4) or azoospermia (n = 5). The ages of patients, duration of dialysis, and weight of removed parathyroid glands were quite similar between the two groups. The serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, intact parathyroid hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone were not significantly different between the group with normospermia and the group with oligospermia or azoospermia. Three months after total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation, the serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and intact parathyroid hormone were markedly decreased; the percentage of active motility and motility index were markedly improved; the serum levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone had no significant changes; and the volume of semen, sperm density, and percentage of normal morphology had no significant improvements. One patient, who had oligospermia with primary infertility, had paternity 6 months after parathyroidectomy, though his oligospermia remained unchanged at that time. CONCLUSION: After parathyroidectomy, the sperm motility index and percentage of active motility can be improved. We speculate that increases in fertilization and paternity in uremic male patients can be expected after surgery.

Adult↗

Endoscopically assisted, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Despite the success of open parathyroid exploration, minimally invasive alternatives have been emerging. This study reports an experience with endoscopically assisted, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy and evaluates its current role in patients undergoing surgery for hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients requiring surgery for hyperparathyroidism were evaluated. Endoscopic parathyroidectomy was offered based on the absence of coexisting nodular thyroid disease, previous neck surgery or irradiation, suspicion of parathyroid hyperplasia, or other anatomical or medical contraindications. Some 24 of 100 patients fulfilled the criteria and underwent endoscopic parathyroidectomy. Unequivocal localization to a single site by a technetium-99m-radiolabelled sestamibi scan allowed removal of the adenoma through a 25-mm suprasternal incision while being guided by a surgical telescope. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in operating time or the mean size of resected adenomas between patients undergoing endoscopic and open parathyroidectomy. Four patients required conversion to an open procedure. Two patients developed temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis and one had persistent hyperparathyroidism. CONCLUSION: Although endoscopic parathyroidectomy is technically feasible, its applicability is limited to a minority of patients undergoing operation for hyperparathyroidism. The potential for higher complication and failure rates makes optimism for the procedure appropriately guarded.

Adenoma↗

Outpatient minimally invasive parathyroidectomy: a combination of sestamibi-SPECT localization, cervical block anesthesia, and intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high cure rate and low morbidity of bilateral neck exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism, there is a movement toward minimizing the process in terms of incision, cost, extent of exploration, and length of hospital stay, while maintaining excellent outcomes. METHODS: Between March and November 1998, 33 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. All had preoperative sestamibi-SPECT scans suggesting a single adenoma, underwent anterior cervical block anesthesia by the surgeon, and were explored through a 1- to 4-cm incision. Intraoperative parathyroid hormone assays were performed before and 5 to 10 minutes after parathyroid resection. Outcomes were compared with those of 184 consecutive patients who underwent bilateral parathyroid exploration under general anesthesia by the same surgeon between August 1990 and May 1996. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients undergoing minimally invasive parathyroidectomy was 61 +/- 2 years, and 24 of the 33 patients were women. Thirty (91%) had resection of a single adenoma under regional anesthesia; 26 of these were done as outpatient procedures. Three patients underwent conversion to general anesthesia for bilateral exploration and were found to have multigland disease (two double adenomas, one hyperplasia). All 33 patients were normocalcemic postoperatively. There was no morbidity. When the minimally invasive parathyroidectomy and bilateral parathyroid exploration groups were compared, they were found to be similar with respect to age, preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels, cause of primary hyperparathyroidism, weight of resected glands, cure rates, and morbidity. However, the minimally invasive parathyroidectomy group had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (0.3 +/- 0.2 vs 1.8 +/- 0.1 days, P < .001) and lower costs ($3174 +/- $386 vs $6328 +/- $292, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is a safe, cost-effective alternative to bilateral exploration and may be the procedure of choice for select patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Adenoma↗

Parathyroidectomy in chronic renal failure: a nine-year follow-up study.

Seventy-three patients with chronic renal failure who underwent parathyroidectomy between March 1978 and April 1987 were reviewed. Thirty-four patients had undergone sub-total parathyroidectomy, and 39 patients had undergone total parathyroidectomy with parathyroid autograft into the forearm. Eight patients showed persistent hyperparathyroidism requiring a second surgical procedure. In all other patients there was highly statistical improvement in parathyroid hormone, total calcium, ionized calcium, alkaline phosphatase and a significant reduction in calcium x phosphate product. Histological evidence of osteitis fibrosa was present in 21 of 22 patients before surgery. Postoperatively, four showed complete resolution and improvement. Three patients developed histological evidence of osteomalacia during the study period. Only four of the 39 patients who underwent total parathyroidectomy with autograft had true recurrent hyperparathyroidism and only two of the 34 patients who underwent sub-total parathyroidectomy had recurrent disease, indicating that there is little to choose between the two techniques in the control of secondary hyperparathyroidism and its subsequent recurrence. In one patient with recurrence of hyperparathyroidism from a forearm parathyroid graft the histological picture was different from that of normal hyperplastic parathyroid tissue. Although it is probable that abnormal parathyroid tissue had been implanted there was no evidence of invasive growth into the forearm muscle. The most striking feature of long term follow-up was the difference in calcium x phosphate product in patients in whom vascular calcification increased compared to those patients with no change or regression of calcification. Mean calcium phosphate product in those patients with progressive vascular calcification was 4.93 for small and medium size vessels and 5.38 for large vessels compared to 4.10 for small and medium vessels and 4.09 for large vessels. In the former case the serum phosphate was 2.00 and 2.17 as compared to 1.75 or 1.73, suggesting that the aim in patients with end stage renal failure maintained by dialysis should be to control the serum phosphate concentration to 1.8 mmol or less and the calcium x phosphate product to less than 4.2.

Adult↗

Improved success rate in reoperative parathyroidectomy with intraoperative PTH assay.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical usefulness of preoperative localization and intraoperative PTH assay (QPTH) in primary hyperparathyroidism have been established. However, without the use of QPTH, the parathyroidectomy failure rate remains 5% to 10% in large reported series and is probably much higher in the hands of less experienced parathyroid surgeons. Persistent hypercalcemia requires another surgical procedure. The authors compared the outcomes in 50 consecutive patients undergoing more difficult secondary parathyroidectomy with and without the adjunctive support of QPTH. METHODS: Two groups of similar patients underwent reoperative parathyroidectomy for failed surgery or recurrent disease. The successful return to normocalcemia in group I, with QPTH used to localize and confirm complete excision of all hyperfunctioning glands, was compared with group II, who did not have this intraoperative adjunct. RESULTS: In 31/33 patients in group I, calcium levels returned to normal. With good preoperative localization studies, 17 patients underwent successful straightforward parathyroidectomies as predicted by QPTH. In the other 14 patients, QPTH assay proved extremely beneficial by facilitating localization with differential venous sampling; measuring the increase in hormone secretion after massage of specific areas; recognizing suspicious nonparathyroid tissue excised without a decrease in hormone levels, avoiding frozen-section delay; and correctly identifying the excision of abnormal tissue despite false-positive/false-negative sestamibi scans. In group II, who underwent surgery before QPTH was available, 4 of 17 patients (24%) remained hypercalcemic after extensive reexploration. CONCLUSION: With the intraoperative hormone assay used to facilitate localization and confirm excision of all hyperfunctioning tissue, the success rate of reoperative parathyroidectomy has improved from 76% to 94%.

Adult↗

Parathyroidectomy lowers blood pressure independently of changes in platelet free calcium.

Several lines of evidence indicate that the parathyroid gland plays a role in blood pressure regulation. To examine whether the attenuation of the development of hypertension by parathyroidectomy is associated with modifications in cellular calcium metabolism, intracellular free calcium was determined in fura-2-loaded platelets of spontaneously hypertensive rats after parathyroidectomy. Parathyroidectomy decreased systolic blood pressure (146 +/- 8 versus control 160 +/- 5 mmHg, n = 8 and 9, respectively; P less than 0.05) and serum ionized calcium (0.81 +/- 0.08 versus 1.28 +/- 0.04 mmol/l; P less than 0.01). However, no effect of parathyroidectomy on basal intracellular free calcium was detected (63.1 +/- 5.5 versus 65.0 +/- 5.1 nmol/l). Furthermore, there were no differences in the intracellular free calcium responses to thrombin in the presence and absence of external calcium, intracellular calcium discharge capacity or calcium extrusion from the cytosol. These results indicate that parathyroidectomy lowers blood pressure independently of alterations in platelet calcium handling.

Animals↗

Calciphylaxis: is there a role for parathyroidectomy?

OBJECTIVE: Calciphylaxis, a rare disorder typically affecting renal failure patients, results in vascular calcification with subsequent skin necrosis, gangrene, and often death from sepsis. Parathyroid hormone is thought to act as a tissue sensitizer leading to these soft tissue changes. As such, parathyroidectomy is often advocated to control this complicated condition. A discussion of calciphylaxis does not exist in the otolaryngology literature, and head and neck surgeons performing parathyroidectomy should be aware of this phenomenon. This study evaluates the success of parathyroidectomy in reversing the ill effects of calciphylaxis in both our patient population and the literature. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study and review of the literature. METHODS: Five patients with calciphylaxis treated at our institution were evaluated for mortality, surgical and perioperative complications, wound healing, and predictors of patient outcomes. RESULTS: Two patients died from sepsis and infectious complications of their calciphylaxis shortly after surgery. Of the three survivors, two later died (15 and 18 mo after surgery) from causes not directly related to calciphylaxis. The other long-term survivor required partial amputation of a leg for osteomyelitis. There was one operative complication-- wound infection requiring antibiotic therapy, drainage, and packing. Postoperative hypocalcemia required treatment in two patients. Immediate perioperative survival was more likely in patients with leukocyte counts less than 20,000 cells/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Calciphylaxis is a serious disease and patients often succumb to sepsis and infectious complications. Patients with extremely high leukocyte counts from coexistent infections may have a worse prognosis. Although a conclusive effective therapy does not exist, parathyroidectomy can be safely performed and may benefit some patients with what is often an otherwise fatal disease. The literature to date generally confirms our findings. Key Words: Calciphylaxis, parathyroid hormone, parathyroidectomy, skin necrosis, chronic renal failure.

Aged↗

[Indications of parathyroidectomy for bone disease associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism].

BACKGROUND: The indications and suitable operative time of parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism were discussed. METHODS: From October 1978 to September 1994 parathyroidectomy was performed for 71 patients who had bone and/or joint pain due to secondary hyperparathyroidism. There were 37 men and 34 women (mean age 48.4 years). The duration of dialysis treatment before parathyroidectomy was 0.8 to 19 years, with a mean of 10.9 years. RESULTS: Postoperative subjective improvement was noted in 69% of the patients. No significant difference was observed between the improved and non-improved groups regarding age and the duration of dialysis treatment. But the improvement rate in female patients was significantly lower than that in male patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with high carboxyl-terminal PTH level and generalized fibrous osteitis were good suitable objects for parathyroidectomy. But, those with high serum aluminum level were unsuitable objects for it. Furthermore, 99mTc-Pyrophosphate bone scintigraphy and bone mineral determination using dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) or dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were proved to be valuable for patient selection for parathyroidectomy.

Adult↗

[Selective parathyroidectomy with unilateral cervical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism].

Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT), is caused in over 90% of the cases by a single parathyroid adenoma. Preoperative diagnostic imaging techniques, in particular dual phase scintigraphy with SestaMIBI/TC99 and high frequency probe ecography, are able to pinpoint it 90% of the time. These are the two cornerstones of modern pHPT surgery, which has witnessed the passage from cervical exploration of all the most common parathyroid glandular sites to a more carefully targeted, restricted approach in the side of the neck where the adenoma is suspected to be. This is how selective parathyroidectomy with unilateral cervical exploration and, recently, mini-invasive parathyroidectomy, came into being. Between 1996 and 2001, in the Otolaryngology Department of S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital in Udine, 39 patients affected by pHPT, half of whom (49%) were asymptomatic, underwent selective parathyroidectomy with unilateral cervical exploration. The object of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of this surgical technique by comparing the pre- and post-operative calcaemia and parathormone levels. The normalization of these parameters, and particularly of the latter, was considered indicative of successful treatment. All the postoperative calcaemia levels were normal, while elevated parathormone levels persisted in only 2 cases (5%). Our statistics showed a 95% efficacy for selective parathyroidectomy, a result that is comparable to the percentages described in the literature. There were, furthermore, no significant peri- or postoperative complications in any of the cases. These observations, together with the brief operating times required for the procedure (20-25 minutes on average) and the low cost of the material employed, enable us to conclude that selective parathyroidectomy with unilateral cervical exploration continues to hold its own as a valid option in the present scenario of surgical pHPT treatment, also in consideration of the fact that it does not present the rigid inclusion criteria characteristics of mini-invasive techniques.

Adult↗

Evolution of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone after parathyroidectomy in patients receiving chronic maintenance hemodialysis.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were investigated before and after parathyroidectomy in 12 patients receiving hemodialysis. Early post-parathyroidectomy, PTH decreased (p less than 0.001), AP increased (p less than 0.05), but osteocalcin remained unchanged. At 3 months, osteocalcin and AP declined. A negative correlation was observed between aluminum staining and post-parathyroidectomy osteocalcin. In conclusion, early post-parathyroidectomy, osteocalcin and AP reflect persistent osteoblastic activity, which declined after 3 months. In patients receiving hemodialysis both variables may represent different aspects of osteoblastic activity and osteocalcin allows mixed uremic osteodystrophy after parathyroidectomy.

Adult↗

Short-term effect of parathyroidectomy on biochemical markers in primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

This study has been carried out in order to evaluate several bone metabolic markers after parathyroidectomy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP). The subjects studied were 6 patients with PHP (5 females, 1 male, aged 64-83 years) and 5 patients with SHP on chronic maintenance hemodialysis with skeletal symptoms (2 females, 3 males, aged 57-67 years). In PHP, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and procollagen type I carboxy-terminal propeptides (PICP) levels showed a trend to increase gradually after parathyroidectomy, changes which were statistically significant (ALP, p = 0.0375; PICP, p = 0.0006). The serum bone Gla protein (BGP) level showed no significant change throughout the pre- and postoperative periods (p = 0.7512). Urinary pyridinoline (Pyr.) and deoxypyridinoline (DPyr.) levels showed rapid decreases after parathyroidectomy (Pyr.; p = 0.0014, DPyr., p = 0.0087). In SHP, individual values of serum ALP in 3 patients with complete parathyroid resection and 1 patient with incomplete parathyroid resection showed a tendency to increase. Individual values of serum BGP and PICP increased after parathyroidectomy in 3 patients with complete parathyroid resection but not in the 2 patients with incomplete parathyroid resection. Individual values of the serum carboxy-terminal pyridinoline cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) level showed no certain trend. The results obtained after surgery indicate that there is a positive uncoupling of the two processes of bone remodeling, and serum PICP and urinary pyridinium cross-links are good specific markers for the evaluation of potential recovery of bone damage after parathyroidectomy.

Aged↗

Effect of carbon tetrachloride on rat liver, following parathyroidectomy: histopathological observations.

Absence of centrilobular necrosis, cirrhosis and giant hepatic cells with a large nucleus were significant observations in the liver of CCl4 treated rats following unilateral parathyroidectomy. Increased number of mitochondria and presence of binucleated cells indicated hepatic regeneration in unilaterally parathyroidectomized and CCl4 treated rats. Focal necrosis, giant cells and presence of smooth endoplasmic reticulum around the nucleus reflect a slight impairment in regeneration of the liver following bilateral parathyroidectomy and CCl4 administration. The results show that parathyroidectomy interferes in the pathogenesis of necrosis and associated lesions in the liver of CCl4 treated rats. Overall results indicate that unilateral parathyroidectomy afforded better protection than bilateral parathyroidectomy.

Animals↗

Parathyroid surgery in chronic renal failure: subtotal parathyroidectomy or autotransplantation?

In the period 1970-1983, 27 patients with end stage renal failure underwent neck exploration for hyperparathyroidism. In 1977 the operative policy changed from subtotal parathyroidectomy to total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. Eight patients underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy while fifteen patients underwent total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. All were cured of their symptoms and hypercalcaemia was resolved. There was no significant difference in the requirement for postoperative calcium and vitamin D supplements between the two groups. Recurrent hypercalcaemia developed in one patient who had undergone total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. Resolution followed removal of approximately half the transplant. There were four deviations from the operative policy.

Adult↗

Study of intact (1-84) parathyroid hormone secretion in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy.

Patterns of intact (1-84) parathyroid hormone (intact PTH) elimination and subsequent recovery of parathyroid function were studied in 12 patients undergoing parathyroidectomy. Nine patients had primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT), with single gland disease in 6 and multiple gland disease in 3. Two patients had subtotal parathyroidectomy for HPT secondary to chronic renal failure and 1 underwent excision of a hyperfunctioning parathyroid autograft. Using a sensitive 2-site immunochemiluminometric assay, serum intact PTH levels were measured preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. A dual phase pattern of hormone clearance was found in 10 of the 12 patients, including the patient undergoing autograft excision. A monoexponential clearance pattern was seen in the remaining 2 patients, both of whom had subtotal parathyroidectomies for multiple gland disease. In the patients with primary HPT due to single gland disease, the early phase of intact PTH clearance had a half-life (T1/2) of 3.3 (+/- standard deviation 0.9) minutes and a late T1/2 of 96.4 (+/- standard deviation 92.7) minutes. Calculation of decay curves and half-lives for the patients undergoing subtotal parathyroidectomy was more difficult because of the inherent uncertainty in determining time zero. Nevertheless, in all but 2 patients, the clearance pattern was biexponential and the T1/2 measurements were very similar to those encountered in patients with single-gland disease. In the 2 patients with monoexponential clearance, the T1/2 figures were 86.7 minutes and 26.7 minutes, respectively. In the patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary HPT, levels of intact PTH were lowest at 1-3 hours after surgery, recovering to normal in the majority of patients by 18-40 hours.

Half-Life↗

Results of subtotal parathyroidectomy in hemodialysis patients.

In 61 hemodialysis patients undergoing subtotal parathyroidectomy, there was a good correlation between the preoperative serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone value (iPTH) and the weight of parathyroid tissue removed surgically (p less than or equal to 0.001). Postoperatively, iPTH decreased rapidly from an initial mean (+/- SD) of 2,928 +/- 1,600 muleq/ml and remained at 365 +/- 296 muleq/ml at last follow-up of patients still undergoing hemodialysis (normal, less than 50 muleq/ml). Of six patients who had recurrent hyperparathyroidism (10 percent of total), three required a second subtotal parathyroidectomy. Aluminum-related osteomalacia eventually developed in six patients with bone biopsy-proven hyperparathyroidism before parathyroidectomy. Nine patients with severe fracturing bone disease and hypercalcemia preoperatively but without clear evidence of hyperparathyroidism did not show a favorable response to subtotal parathyroidectomy (high mortality within 28 months, persistence of hypercalcemia, and symptomatic bone disease). Thus, subtotal parathyroidectomy can benefit patients with clearly established severe progressive hyperparathyroidism not responsive to medical therapy but is contraindicated in patients with low iPTH values and no bone biopsy evidence of severe hyperparathyroidism.

Aluminum↗

Sleep disturbances before and after parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of insomnia in patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism and the improvements of sleep disturbances after parathyroidectomy have not been previously reported. METHODS: Thirty-one patients who had undergone successful total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation for symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism were enrolled in the study. The symptoms of skin itching, bone pain, and general weakness were recorded. Preoperatively, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (Alk-ptase), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), am melatonin (noon), and pm melatonin (midnight) were measured in association with a simple yes/no questionnaire of 5 items about sleep disturbances as described previously. The severity of insomnia was the sum of positive items of sleeping disturbances. The sleep hours per night and the habit of taking sleeping pills were also recorded. One week after surgery, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, Alk-ptase, iPTH, am melatonin, and pm melatonin were measured again. Three months after surgery, symptoms of skin itching, bone pain, and general weakness were recorded, and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, Alk-ptase and iPTH were measured in association with a yes/no questionnaire of sleep disturbances. The severity of insomnia, sleep hours per night, and the habit of taking sleeping pills were recorded again. RESULTS: One week after parathyroidectomy, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and iPTH decreased significantly; serum levels of Alk-ptase and am melatonin increased significantly; serum levels of pm melatonin did not change significantly. Three months after parathyroidectomy, symptoms of skin itching, bone pain, and general weakness decreased significantly; serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, Alk-ptase, and iPTH decreased significantly; sleeping disturbances and severity of insomnia improved significantly in association with longer sleep hours per night. A significant reduction of the habit of taking sleeping pills was also noted. Preoperatively, the severity of insomnia was correlated with skin itching, general weakness, and levels of iPTH. Postoperatively, the severity of insomnia was correlated with skin itching, general weakness, and bone pain. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperatively, a high prevalence of sleep disturbances (97%) was found in patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism. We conclude that nocturnal melatonin levels do not change after parathyroidectomy; the improvements in sleep disturbance and the decreases in severity of insomnia are found 3 months after surgery in association with longer sleep hours per night. Decreases of symptoms such as skin itching, bone pain, and general weakness may be the reasons for the improvement in sleep and the decrease in insomnia.

Adult↗

Resolution of hypergastrinaemia after parathyroidectomy in multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type I (MEN type I).

The treatment of choice for gastric acid hypersecretion in MEN type I has now changed from total gastrectomy to the long-term administration of H2 receptor blockers or similar agents. However, the importance of parathyroidectomy for the concomitant hypercalcaemia is not fully realized. A case is reported of a subject with MEN type I, who was initially treated with parathyroidectomy and H2 receptor blockade. Following parathyroidectomy, there was a rapid fall of the markedly elevated gastrin levels to the upper limit of the normal range. During follow-up of 2.5 years, there has been no increase in serum gastrin, and the subject's gastric symptoms have resolved, despite the cessation of H2 blockade. Infusion of calcium to pre-operative levels and superimposed secretin stimulation after this period of time closely reproduced the pre-operative hypergastrinaemia. On screening, the subject's only child was found to have hypercalcaemia but normal serum gastrin levels and pituitary function; parathyroidectomy has been carried out. No abnormality of gastrin secretion has been found during follow-up. This case highlights the importance of early parathyroidectomy in this syndrome.

Adult↗