Chronic parathyroiditis associated with parathyroid hyperplasia and hyperparathyroidism.

Two cases of chronic parathyroiditis associated with parathyroid hyperplasia and hyperparathyroidism are described. There was no evidence of an underlying infectious disease, a developmental anomaly, or a drug reaction that could explain the inflammatory component. It is suggested that an autoimmune process might have been involved in the pathogenesis of this previously unreported clinicopathologic entity.