Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin response during the calcium infusion test in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE

While activation of the calcium (Ca) sensing receptor (CaSR) suppresses parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, calcitonin (CT) secretion is stimulated via CaSR. The aim of this study was to evaluate PTH and CT responses during a calcium infusion test (CIT) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).

METHODS

This pivotal prospective study included 64 patients (44 PHPT patients vs. 20 healthy controls [HCs], median age 57 [25-79] vs. 56 [39-74] years). All PHPT patients underwent parathyroidectomy (PTX). A week before and 1 month after PTX, the CIT was performed (bolus infusion of Ca gluconate 0.2 ml/kg body weight), followed by plasma sampling for Ca, PTH, and CT at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 10 min.

RESULTS

PTH suppression was lower in PHPT patients compared to HCs (49.82 vs. 64.06%, p = 0.006), but after PTX suppression, it was higher (76.3%, p < 0.001). PHPT patients had attenuated CT response vs. HCs during the CIT (3.1- vs. 8.0-fold increase, p < 0.001), but after PTX, it improved (5.8-fold increase). The PTHmin > 19.3 ng/l and CTmax ≤ 27.5 ng/l cut-off values predict diagnosis of PHPT (sensitivity 90.9%, 97.7%, and specificity 100%, 75%, respectively). Patients with adenoma had lower basal CT levels vs. hyperplasia both before and after PTX (4.5 vs. 6.8 and 5.4 vs. 7.9 ng/l, respectively, p = 0.008, p = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

PTH and CT responses during the CIT in PHPT patients may be an additional diagnostic tool. The CIT could play a role in both the diagnosis of PHPT and in the differential diagnosis between adenoma and hyperplasia.