Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative Serum Calcium and Parathyroid Hormone Levels

Introduction: Thyroidectomy has been established as the preferred operation for various thyroid disorders in various forms, ranging from hemithyroidectomy, subtotal to total thyroidectomy. Postoperative hypocalcaemia is one of the most common complications that is observed in patients who undergo total thyroidectomy. To minimise the postoperative complications and to minimise hospital stay and early discharge, it is important to predict patients at risk of developing hypocalcaemia. Measurements of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) in the immediate postoperative period along with serum calcium are useful and reliable methods. Aim: To determine the risk of post total thyroidectomy by measuring PTH level after total thyroidectomy and compare serum calcium and magnesium levels pre and two hours post total thyroidectomy. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 34 patients, who underwent total thyroidectomy, from October 2018- May 2020. Preoperative calcium, magnesium and PTH were compared with postoperative calcium, magnesium and PTH. All data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows, Version 22.0. Paired t-test was used to compare and find an association. results: Present study included six males (17.6%) and 28 females (82.4%), there was statistically significant difference between postoperative calcium levels in total thyroidectomy without central neck dissection (mean of 8.36) and postoperative calcium levels in total thyroidectomy with neck dissection (mean of 7.67). There was a significant statistical association between postoperative calcium and postoperative PTH levels (p<0.001). Present study observed significant positive correlation coefficient (r=0.698) and a high level of significance (p<0.001) for postoperative calcium and postoperative PTH. Present study showed no definitive correlation between postoperative serum magnesium and calcium levels. conclusion: For predicting the risk of hypocalcaemia after thyroidectomy it is more reliable to measure the serum PTH level before and after operation and compare the reduction level of percentage of PTH drop for predicting the risk of hypocalcaemia.

Age, postoperative serum parathormone (PTH) level, and preoperative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25-OHD) level predict postoperative hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy. Prospective clinical trial. Tertiary referral center. One hundred thirty patients with nontoxic multinodular goiter. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the postoperative serum calcium level. Group 1 (n = 32) consisted of patients with a postoperative serum calcium level of 8 mg/dL or less, and group 2 (n = 98) consisted of patients with a postoperative serum calcium level higher than 8 mg/dL. The preoperative serum 25-OHD level and preoperative and postoperative serum calcium and PTH levels were determined. The number of patients developing hypocalcemia and prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia by the serum 25-OHD and PTH levels. Hypocalcemia developed in 32 patients (24.6%) (group 1). The preoperative serum 25-OHD level and postoperative serum calcium and PTH levels in group 1 were significantly lower than in group 2 (P = .001). With logistic regression analysis, factors that were predictive of postoperative hypocalcemia included a preoperative serum 25-OHD level less than 15 ng/mL (P < .001; odds ratio, 558.5), a postoperative serum PTH level less than 10 pg/mL (P = .01; odds ratio, 16.4), and being older than 50 years (P = .01; odds ratio, 4.6). Age, a low preoperative serum 25-OHD level, and a low postoperative serum PTH level are significantly associated with postoperative hypocalcemia. The low preoperative serum 25-OHD level was more significant than the low postoperative serum PTH level in the prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia.

less, no abnormal findings appeared during either the first-look operation or during subsequent imaging studies, including CT, 99m Tc

Effectiveness of parathyroid autotransplantation during total thyroidectomy and functional recovery post-operation: A retrospective study.

Objective To predict the occurrence of hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy. Methods In this study, 124 patients underwent total thyroidectomy, 46 for thyroid cancer and 78 for multinodular goiter, additional neck dissection was performed on cancer patients. Serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were examined preoperatively and at 1 h, 1 d and 2 d postoperatively. The occurrence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism was observed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was employed to identify the best indicator to early predict the occurrence of clinical hypocalcemic symptoms. Results Fifty-eight (46.8%) patients suffered from postoperative transient hypoparathyroidism, with 22 ( 47. 8% ) cases in thyroid cancer group and 36 ( 46. 2% ) in multinodular goiter group ( λ2 = 0. 033, P = 0. 857). One (0.8%) patient in cancer group had permanent hypoparathyroidism. 90 patients (72.6%) had postoperative hypocalcaemia, 58 (46. 8% ) had subnormal serum PTH levels, 40 (32. 3% ) had hypocalcaemia symptoms. Postoperative serum calcium (F=21. 358,P =0. 000) and PTH ( F = 18.253, P =0.000) levels decreased more in cancer group than in goiter group.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the percentage of serum PTH level decline at 1 h postoperatively was most predictive and 76. 6% decline was the best cut-off value for the occurrence of clinical hypocalcaemia symptoms ( area under the curve being 0.933 ) with a sensitivity of 89. 7% and a specificity of 87.9%. Conclusions Neck dissection added to total thyroidectomy can decrease the postoperative serum calcium and PTH levels more seriously, but may not increase the incidence of postoperative transient hyperparathyroidism. The percentage of serum PTH level decline at 1 h postoperatively predicts the occurrence of clinical hypocalcaemia symptoms. Key words: Thyroidectomy; Postoperative complications; Hypoparathyroidism; Hypocalcemia

Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is an effective treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients. Postoperative hypocalcemia is a common complication after PTX. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing serum calcium levels and the incidence of hypocalcemia after parathyroidectomy in primary hyperparathyroidism patients. The retrospective study included 270 PHPT patients treated with PTX and collected their demographic and clinical information and their laboratory indices. Factors influencing serum calcium levels and hypocalcemia after PTX in PHPT patients were analyzed using univariate and multifactorial analyses. First, in patients with normal preoperative serum calcium levels (2.20-2.74 mmol/L), the higher the preoperative alkaline phosphatase and serum phosphorus levels, the lower the postoperative serum calcium levels. Furthermore, the higher the preoperative serum calcium levels and the accompanying clinical symptoms, the higher the postoperative serum calcium levels. Low preoperative serum calcium levels were shown to be a risk factor for postoperative hypocalcemia (OR=0.022), and the optimal preoperative serum calcium threshold was 2.625 mmol/L (sensitivity and specificity were 0.587 and 0.712, respectively). Second, in the mild preoperative hypercalcemia group (2.75-3.00 mmol/L), the older the patient, the higher the preoperative and postoperative serum calcium levels, the higher the postoperative serum calcium; the lower the alkaline phosphatase and calcitonin levels, the higher the postoperative serum calcium levels. On the other hand, the younger the patient was, the more likely hypocalcemia blood was (OR=0.947), with an optimal age threshold of 47.5 years (sensitivity and specificity were 0.543 and 0.754, respectively). Third, in the preoperative moderate to severe hypercalcemia group (>3.0mmol/L), patients undergoing a combined contralateral thyroidectomy and a total thyroidectomy had low postoperative serum calcium levels. Patients with different preoperative serum calcium levels had various factors influencing their postoperative serum calcium levels and postoperative hypocalcemia, which facilitated the assessment of their prognosis.

BackgroundEarly Hypocalcemia is the most frequent complication after thyroid surgery. Several studies have tried to identify factors (patient caracteristics or surgical technique variations) affecting hypocalcemia following thyroid surgery. This studiy evaluates the role of several factors in postoperative hypocalcemia development.MethodsA retrospective study conducted on 2108 patients that underwent thyroid surgery in a single center (1669 women and 439 men). Postoperative early hypocalcemia was defined as serum calcium levels lower than 8,0 mg/dl measured 24 h after surgery. Following factors were evaluated in the study: sex, age, glandular hyperfunction, preoperative diagnosis, preoperative serum calcium levels, preoperative serum PTH levels, type of surgery performed (total thyroidectomy vs. lobectomy); minimally invasive video assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT); number of parathyroid preserved in situ, postoperative serum calcium levels, changes in perioperative calcium levels (difference between preoperative values ​​and postoperative calcium levels), presence of carcinoma in the surgical specimen, presence of thyroiditis based on histopatology reports.ResultsAmong evaluated factors only gender and surgical procedure revealed to be significantly correlated to early hypocalcemia development. In fact female patients experienced postoperative hypocalcemia in 42% (701/1669) of cases, which was signicantly higher than the 21.4% (94/439) identified in men. We also noticed a greater hypocalcemia incidence in patient undergoing total thyroidectomy (38.8%) than in patient undergoing lobectomy group (13.8%). Early hypocalcemia development didn’t appear to be related to preoperative serum calcium levels but it showed a statistically significant correlation with perioperative serum calcium level drop.ConclusionThis findings suggest that sex (female gender is a strong risk factor),surgical procedure and perioperative changes in serum calcium are the only factors (among all variables examined) that influence early hypocalcemia development.

BackgroundTransient post thyroidectomy hypocalcemia occurs in up to 30% of patients. We evaluated the effect of vitamin D deficiency on post thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia.MethodsThis is a prospective study which was conducted from November 2010 to January 2013 and a total of 35 patients were included and data was analyzed regarding the relation between preoperative vitamin D3 levels and occurrence of post- thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Patients were divided into two groups dependent upon the preoperative serum vitamin D level: group 1 with vitamin D levels <20 ng/ml and group 2 with serum vitamin D levels ≥20 ng/ml. Hypocalcemia was defined as a postoperative calcium level <8.5 mg/dl.ResultsThere was a difference in postoperative hypocalcemia between the two vitamin D groups. In patients with serum vitamin D ≤20 ng/ml mean pre-operative and post-operative serum calcium levels were 9.3 ± 0.5 and 8.4 ± 0.58 g dl (p < .001) whereas in patients with serum vitamin D levels >20 ng/ml mean pre-operative and post-operative serum calcium were 9.52 ± 0.64 and 8.9 ± 0.5 (p = ns).ConclusionsPre-operative serum vitamin D levels have got positive correlation with serum calcium levels in early post-operative period. Patients with serum vitamin D levels <20 ng/ml are highly likely to develop early post-operative hypocalcaemia and the difference between pre-operative and post-operative serum calcium levels in vitamin D deficient patients was significant (p < 0.001).

We hypothesized that parathyroid hormone (PTH) determination would be the most effective strategy to identify posttotal thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism (PTTHP) compared with other clinical and laboratory parameters. We retrospectively reviewed our recent experience with total thyroidectomy. We recorded demographics, malignancy, thyroid weight, parathyroid autotransplantation, hospital stay, use of postoperative calcium and hormonally active vitamin D3 (calcitriol), and postoperative serum calcium and PTH levels. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether supplemental calcitriol was required to maintain eucalcemia and therefore reflecting the diagnosis of PTTHP. From October 2010 to June 2013, a total of 202 total thyroidectomies were performed. Twenty-four patients (12%) developed PTTHP and required calcitriol replacement. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only postoperative calcium levels (P = 0.02) and PTH levels (P < 0.0001) statistically significantly predicted PTTHP. Twenty-two of 29 patients with PTH 13 pg/mL or less had PTTHP. Only two of 173 patients with a PTH level greater than 13 pg/mL were diagnosed with PTTHP. We recommend using PTH levels after total thyroidectomy to determine which patients will have hypoparathyroidism requiring calcitriol therapy. An early determination of PTTHP allows for prompt management that can shorten hospital stay and improve outcomes.

BackgroundPrimary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an uncommon disorder characterised by hypercalcemia with an increased parathyroid hormone level. We reported a PHPT familial case with two subjects, a father and a daughter, and both of them had suffered from the brown tumor.Case presentationThe proband, a 43-year-old patient, developed parathyroid adenomas at the age of 15; a histologically confirmed right parathyroid adenoma was removed by parathyroidectomy; and after six months follow-up, the serum calcium level was normalised. At the age of thirty-three, a CT scan of his head and neck revealed a mass in the right maxilla, as well as PHPT (i.e., left inferior parathyroid adenoma). Then, he underwent a biopsy of an exophytic lesion in the right maxilla and was diagnosed by pathology as a brown tumor, with the serum calcium and PTH levels at 2.78 mmol/L and 221 pg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, the patient took a left inferior parathyroid microwave ablation with ultrasound guidance. After three months of follow-up, the serum calcium and PTH levels returned to normal, and the brown tumor was resolved. After three years, it mineralised as revealed in a CT scan. By the time he was 43 years old, during the 28-year follow-up period, the serum calcium and PTH levels were still within the normal range, and there was no discomfort reported. He has consistently taken calcium supplements throughout the 28 years. Since the initial diagnosis, his blood indicators of kidney function have been normal, and ultrasound showed renal calculus in the right kidney and a normal left kidney. The proband’s daughter, a 15-year-old girl, experienced left upper extremity pain for ten months. CT scan revealed a mass in the distal left radius, and a giant cell tumor was suspected. A surgical internal fixation was performed, and the pathology showed a brown tumor. Laboratory tests revealed a serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) level of 1554pg/mL, calcium level of 3.14 mmol/L, phosphorus level of 0.72 mmol/L, and alkaline phosphatase level of 1892 U/L. Given the osteitic changes and elevated levels of calcium and PTH, ultrasonography was performed, after which a mass was detected measuring 19 × 9 × 7 mm mixed with solid components and cystic fluid in the right thyroid gland. The results of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy confirmed the abnormal accumulation of 99mTc-MIBI in the right thyroid gland but not seen in the bilateral parathyroid glands. The patient underwent thyroidectomy, and the postoperative pathology report indicated an intra-thyroid ectopic parathyroid adenoma. The serum calcium and PTH levels became normal at 4 h after surgery. One to three months after operation, the serum calcium level was low, while the serum PTH level was high. Then, the patient was advised to take calcium supplements. Until the sixth month after the operation, the serum calcium level and serum PTH level returned to normal, and the bone pain was relieved. The patient’s blood tests for kidney function remained normal. There was no evidence of bilateral kidney disease (such as nephrolithiasis or nephrocalcinosis) detected by ultrasound scan. There were several similarities in the state of illness between these two subjects. Both the father and the daughter developed parathyroid adenomas at the age of 15, and there was no lesion in other endocrine glands. And genetic testing revealed mutations in the CDC73 genes in both father and daughter. On the other hand, there were also a few differences. The father’s first signs of brown tumor were in the right maxilla, while the daughter’s appeared in the distal left radius. The father presented pathological changes in the left and right parathyroid glands, whereas the daughter presented with an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the right thyroid gland.ConclusionWe report a familial case in which father and daughter were diagnosed to have brown tumors due to parathyroid adenoma and ectopic parathyroid adenoma, and genetic testing revealed CDC73 gene mutations in both. Therefore, in the diagnostic and differential process of young patients having bone disease, clinicians should not only focus on the clinical manifestations of the skeleton, but also implement a comprehensive analysis of systemic symptoms, considering the possibility that the patient has familial PHPT.

The purpose of this study is to determine preoperative predictors of the severity of the hypocalcaemia following parathyroidectomy. The case records of 70 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism from 2000 to 2013 was retrospectively studied. Their symptoms at presentation, biochemical parameters serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid size on ultrasound were compared with their serial post-operative serum calcium levels at 24, 48, 72 and 96h. For the purpose of analysis, patients were divided into three groups. Group 1-asymptomatic, biochemically normal (serum calcium always ≥8.5mgs%); Group 2-asymptomatic, biochemically below normal (at least one reading <8.5, but none <8.0); Group 3-symptomatic (any one reading <8.0). No correlation was found between the severity of the presenting symptoms, pre-operative serum calcium levels or the parathyroid size with the post-operative calcium levels in the three groups. Though preoperative serum alkaline phosphatase levels were higher in Group 3, it was not statistically significant (p=0.069). However, preoperative serum parathyroid hormone levels significantly correlated with postoperative serum calcium levels in all three groups (p=0.006). Pre-operative serum parathyroid hormone levels may serve as a marker for severe post-operative hypocalcaemia and thus identify patients requiring closer monitoring and longer hospitalization following parathyroidectomy.

IntroductionUncertain nutritional outcomes following common metabolic surgical techniques are concerning given the long-term potential for postoperative metabolic bone disease. This study aims to investigate the variations in serum calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels following Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass (RYBP) and Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG).MethodsA retrospective analysis of 370 patients who underwent metabolic surgery at a single-centre group practice in Melbourne, Australia, over 2 years.ResultsPatients underwent SG (n = 281) or RYGP (n = 89), with 75% and 87% of the cohort being female, respectively. Postoperative mean serum calcium levels and median serum vitamin D levels improved significantly by 24 months within both cohorts. Serum PTH levels within the RYBP group were significantly higher than the SG group across all time points. PTH levels significantly fell from 5.7 (IQR 4.2–7.4) to 5.00 (4.1–6.5) pmol/L by 24 months following SG. However, PTH levels following RYBP remained stable at 24 months, from 6.1 (IQR 4.7–8.7) to 6.4 (4.9–8.1) pmol/L. Furthermore, we failed to notice a significant improvement in PTH levels following RYBP among those with higher PTH levels preoperatively.ConclusionHigher PTH levels following RYBP, compared to SG, may imply we are undertreating patients who are inherently subjected to a greater degree of malabsorption and underlying nutritional deficiencies. This finding calls for a tailored supplementation protocol, particularly for those with high preoperative PTH levels undergoing RYBP, to prevent deficiencies.

Aims To determine the relationship of serum phosphate, serum calcium, and serum parathyroid hormone levels with respect to parathyroid adenoma weight and postoperative serum calcium in primary hyperparathyroidism. Materials and methods Eighty patients with single parathyroid adenoma entered the study. Preoperative serum calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, weight of adenomas and postoperative serum calcium were recorded. Results With respect to adenoma weight, there was a significant correlation with serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (p = 0.003 and p = 0.0001, respectively).There was no correlation between postoperative serum calcium and serum alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.3), serum parathyroid hormone (p = 0.3) and adenoma weight (p = 0.1). Conclusion Adenoma weight has a positive impact on preoperative serum calcium, parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase. Preoperative serum markers and adenoma weight are unreliable to predict serum calcium level postoperatively, but we can estimate the calcium decline postoperatively with preoperative serum calcium, PTH, alkaline phosphatase level and adenoma weight.

Hypocalcemia is a common complication after total thyroidectomy. In these patients, the serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium level decreases, and the phosphorus level increases. The level of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), a phosphaturic hormone, increases in the serum to normalize the phosphorus level. In our study, we aimed to investigate the predictive value of PTH, calcium, phosphorus, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D (vitamin D), and FGF-23 tests in revealing patients who will develop hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. Fifty-seven patients undergoing total thyroidectomy (fifty-two with multinodular goiter, three with Graves’ disease and two with papillary thyroid cancer) were included in this prospective study. Serum PTH, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D levels of the patients were measured preoperatively. Ten minutes after complete removal of the thyroid gland, intraoperative PTH (IOPTH) level was measured and the amount of decline in PTH level (PTH decline) was calculated. Postoperative PTH, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and FGF-23 levels were measured 24 h after the operation. Postoperatively, hypocalcemia developed in 7 (12.3%) of the 57 patients. IOPTH, postoperative PTH, calcium, and vitamin D levels were significantly lower and PTH decline was significantly higher in patients with postoperative hypocalcemia. Postoperative FGF-23 levels were similar between the groups (p 0.952). When the IOPTH and postoperative serum calcium values were evaluated together, the highest sensitivity and positive predictive values were obtained (93.5% and 67.5%, respectively), The postoperative FGF-23 test was found to be rather unsatisfactory to reveal development of hypocalcemia (sensitivity of 14.3%). The success of detecting patients with hypocalcemia was highest when IOPTH and postoperative serum calcium levels were evaluated together. The FGF-23 measurements were found to be not sufficient in identifying hypocalcemic patients after total thyroidectomy.

Success of cervical exploration for patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism