Preoperative Predictive Factors for Parathyroid Carcinoma in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

This study was conducted to review the clinical characteristics of parathyroid carcinoma (PC) and to evaluate potential preoperative predictive factors for PC in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We performed a retrospective review of electronic medical records of 194 patients with pathologically confirmed PHPT in affiliated teaching hospitals of Seoul National University from January 2000 to March 2011. Adenoma was diagnosed in 171 patients, hyperplasia in 12, and carcinoma in 11. Several biochemical measurements were higher in patients with PC than in patients with benign disease, including serum total calcium (P < 0.001), intact parathyroid hormone (P = 0.003), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P < 0.001). Tumors were larger in PC than in benign disease (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that serum ALP level (P < 0.001) and tumor size were associated with PC (P = 0.03). Tumor size and serum ALP level were evaluated as preoperative predictive factors for PC using ROC analyses: a tumor size of 3.0 cm (sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 92.1%) and serum ALP level of 285 IU/L (83.3%, 97.0%) had predictive value for the diagnosis of PC in patients with PHPT. In conclusion, elevated serum ALP and a large parathyroid mass at the time of diagnosis can be helpful to predict PC in patients with PHPT.

Hypertensive Complications in Patients with Primary Aldosteronism / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is believed to be a benign form of secondary hypertension due to the low incidence of hypertensive complications. Recently, several studies have shown that hypertensive complications were common in patients with PA. Therefore, we investigated hypertensive complications in 46 PA patients. METHEODS: Clinical and laboratory features of 46 46 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Hypertensive complications of this group were left ventricular hypertrophy, cerebrovascular accidents, hypertensive nephropathy and hypertensive retinopathy. RESULTS: Hypertensive complications were found in 30 (65.2%) of the 46 patients. The incidence of severe hypertension (higher than or equal to 110 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure) was 17.6%. Left ventricular hypertrophy was found in 26 (56.7%) of the 46 patients. Cerebrovascular accidents were found in 6 patients, and hypertensive nephropathy in 4 patients. The incidence of severe hypertensive retinopathy (higher than or equal to grade 3 in the Keith-Wagener Barker classification) was 17.6%. Of the 35 PA patients who underwent surgical treatment hypertension was found in 18 (51.4%). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that hypertensive complications are common in patients with PA, suggesting that early detection, treatment and close follow-up are necessary in PA.