OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in China is lower than that in European and American countries and the study about the characteristics of asymptomatic PHPT was rare in China. This study aims to explore the characteristics of asymptomatic PHPT. METHODS: Clinical data of 150 patients with PHPT confirmed by operation and pathological examination were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were assigned into a symptomatic PHPT group ( RESULTS: The proportion of adenomas was higher than that of adenocarcinoma in the asymptomatic PHPT group. The proportion of the first diagnosis due to hypercalcemia found via biochemical examination in the asymptomatic PHPT group was higher than that in the symptomatic PHPT group (76.92% vs 25.81%, CONCLUSIONS Only a minority of PHPT patients are asymptomatic. Compared with the symptomatic PHPT patients, the primary cause of diagnosis is hypercalcemia, the duration of diagnosis and the diameter of parathyroid gland are shorter, the levels of serum calcium, and PTH are lower, the proportion of adenomas, vitamin D, and the BMD of L
Calcium ; China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary/epidemiology* ; Parathyroid Glands ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Retrospective Studies

The coexistence of thyroid diseases with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) can present a challenge in the clinical diagnosis and management for these patients. This study aims to determine the frequency of coexisting thyroid gland lesions in a consecutive series patients with PHPT, and to analyze the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Twenty-two cases of a total of 52 PHPT patients who had synchronous thyroid and parathyroid pathology were surgically managed in this study. Thirteen patients had ipsilateral thyroid nodules, and 9 patients had thyroid nodules in contralateral or bilateral side. Seven patients underwent direct parathyroidectomy and hemithyroidectomy via a mini-incision (about 3 cm), while other 15 procedures were converted to Kocher incision. Seventeen nodular goiter (32.7%), 2 thyroiditis (3.8%), 2 thyroid adenoma (3.8%) and 1 thyroid carcinoma (1.9%) coexisting with parathyroid adenoma were pathologically diagnosed. The sensitivity of preoperative ultrasonography (US) and methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy for parathyroid lesions was 63.6% and 85.7%; and the overall positive predictive values for MIBI and US were 100% and 95.5% respectively. A high incidence of thyroid diseases that coexisted with PHPT in literatures was briefly reviewed. Our study illustrated the need for clinical awareness of concomitant PHPT and thyroid disease. A combination of US, computed tomography (CT) and MIBI scintigraphy would be recommended for preoperative localization of enlarged parathyroid adenoma and for evaluation of thyroid lesions. Synchronous treatment of associated thyroid abnormalities is desirable, and open minimally invasive surgical approach with additional resection of isolated ipsilateral thyroid nodules is possible in some of these patients.
Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Diagnostic Imaging ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; statistics & numerical data ; Parathyroidectomy ; statistics & numerical data ; Preoperative Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Prognosis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Nodule ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; statistics & numerical data ; Treatment Outcome