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Fong-Fu Chou, MD; Jin-Bor Chen, MD; Chiang-Hsuan Lee, MD; Sung-Hsiung Chen, MD; Shyr-Ming Sheen-Chen, MD

Arch Surg. 2001;136:1064-1068.

Hypothesis  The recovery of osteoporosis or bone mineral density (BMD) after parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation can be improved in patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Design  Case series.

Setting  Tertiary referral center.

Patients  Forty-five patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism who underwent total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation were included. They were divided into an osteoporotic group (n = 20) and a nonosteoporotic group (n = 25) according to preoperative T scores less than -2.5 at either the lumbar spine (L1-L4) or the femoral neck (FN).

Interventions  Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and intact parathyroid hormone were checked before surgery and 1 day, 1 week, and 3 months after surgery. The BMDs of the FN and L1-L4 were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before surgery and 6 months after surgery.

Results  Patients with osteoporosis were older (mean ± SD, 50.2 ± 14.0 years) than those without osteoporosis (42.7 ± 9.1 years) (P = .04). Except for bone fractures found in 2 women in the osteoporotic group, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in sex, clinical manifestations, duration of dialysis, weight of removed parathyroid tissue, and types of dialysis. Also, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and intact parathyroid hormone were similar in both groups. Both 1 day and 1 week after total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation, serum levels of calcium and intact parathyroid hormone decreased rapidly and then gradually increased 3 months later; however, serum levels of alkaline phosphatase increased rapidly and then gradually decreased 3 months later. Six months after parathyroidectomy, BMD, T score, and Z score at L1-L4 and the FN increased significantly (P<.001). The increment was much better in the osteoporotic group than in the nonosteoporotic group (P<.001). Also, osteopenia or osteoporosis improved significantly after parathyroidectomy at both L1-L4 and the FN (P<.001 for both).

Conclusion  Parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation can improve BMD of symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism at L1-L4 and the FN.

From the Departments of Surgery (Drs Chou, S.-H. Chen, and Sheen-Chen), Nuclear Medicine (Dr Lee), and Internal Medicine (Dr J.-B. Chen), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan.

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