Hyperparathyroidism

Pathophysiology

  • This is a disorder with abnormal parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion which controls:Hyperparathyoidism causes an excess PTH level which is the most common cause of hypercalcemiaparathyroid.jpg
    • serum Calcium and Phosphorus levels
    • reabsorption of calcium from bones and kidneys
    • activation of Vitamin D from inactive to active for
  • There are 3 types:
    • Primary - oversecretion of PTH
      • Onset is between 30 - 70 years old with a peak incidence in the 4th and 5th decade of life
      • People at risk are those who have had radiation to their head and neck
        • retrospective studies show that patients treated for tuberculosis adenitis showed no risk with radiation doses below 50rad, but increased 50% risk if doses were above 1200rad (Pyram, 2011).
      • Acne irradication accounts for 2-3 times increase in this disease (Pyram, 2011)
      • 80-85% and most common cause is parathyroid adenoma
        • cyclin D1 (protooncogene) and MEN-1 (tumor supressor gene) abnormalities are responsible for the sporatic adenoma development
        • Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia is an autosomal dominant condition which mimics hyperparathyroidism (Pallan, 2009)
    • Secondary - compensatory response to conditions that originally caused hypocalcemia
      • ie. Vitamin D deficiency, malabsorption, chronic renal failure, hyperphosphatemia
    • Tertiary - hyperplasia of parathyroid glands and lost of negative feedback from circulating calcium levels causing random PTH secretion even in normocalcemia
      • Will see in kidney transplant patients after long term dialysis for chronic kidney disease