[Articular chondrocalcinosis in elderly patients and parathyroid hormone levels].

Serum parathyroid hormone was assayed in 16 elderly patients with primary, roentgenographically proved, articular chondrocalcinosis. Mean value, i.e. 4.10 + 1.16 mUI/ml, was compared to that of a control group of 16 subjects matched for sex and age without chondrocalcinosis, living in the same geriatric institution, i.e. 3.94 + 1.43 mUI/ml. The difference is not significant (t = 0,35). Latent hyperparathyroidism is therefore not demonstrated in primary proved articular chondrocalcinosis in the elderly.