Effect of parathyroid hormone on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

To evaluate the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on diastolic function, left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling dynamics were studied using pulsed Doppler echocardiography in patients with untreated primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT; mean age 59 years) and control subjects. In patients with primary HPT, the ratio of peak flow velocity of atrial filling wave to peak flow velocity of early filling wave (A/E) was studied immediately before and 1 month after parathyroidectomy (PTX). A/E is significantly higher in the patients with primary HPT than in the control subjects. A/E decreased significantly after PTX. A/E was strongly correlated with PTH levels, but not with calcium levels in patients with primary HPT. It is concluded that LV diastolic function is abnormal in patients with primary HPT, which could result from elevated PTH rather than hypercalcemia.