In a recent study from the University of Gothenburg, researchers found in the hormonal disorder primary hyperparathyroidism, patients’ risk of hip fracture is elevated by 51%, and that of heart attack or stroke 45%.
They also found that surgery is linked to reduced risks of these outcomes.
Primary hyperparathyroidism is a common hormone disorder, especially among the elderly. It occurs more often in women, and some 3% of postmenopausal women are affected.
Rather than causing specific symptoms, it is often detected by chance in connection with blood tests, which then show elevated calcium levels and normal or elevated parathyroid hormone levels.
This disturbed calcium balance in the blood can cause kidney, skeletal, and cardiovascular damage.
Previous studies have linked primary hyperparathyroidism to osteoporosis and heart disease. However, since these studies have been few and small, the association has been debated.
In the study, researchers examined data from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.
All the 16,374 patients included were diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism sometime between 2006 and 2017.
Each was compared with ten control individuals from the population born in the same year, of the same sex, and residing in the same county.
The team found that untreated primary hyperparathyroidism means a 51% higher risk of hip fracture and a 45% increase in a heart attack or stroke risk.
The kidney stone risk is almost quadrupled and, additionally, the risk of death is raised by 72%.
The increased likelihood of these complications highlights the importance of identifying patients with this hormonal disease.
The team says an operation to remove the parathyroid glands (parathyroidectomy), entirely or partially, is the only definitive treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism.
Patients who meet special criteria may undergo surgery. Careful monitoring is recommended for those who do not.
The team found that the elevated risks of hip fracture, heart attack, and stroke decreased a lot for patients who underwent surgery.
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The research is published in the journal JAMA Network Open and was conducted by Kristian Axelsson et al.
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