ABSTRACT
Parathyroid dysfunction, leading to severe clinical symptoms and radiographic changes, has decreased over the last years due to routine laboratory checks including serum calcium levels. Thus, abnormal calcium levels are detected early in the course of the disease and the underlying cause treated accordingly. Hyperparathyroidism often leads to osteoporosis and low-trauma fractures. When evaluating secondary osteoporosis analysis of calcium, phosphate and intact parathyroid hormone levels are mandatory. Osteitis fibrosa cystica and brown tumors are less frequent findings of hyperparathyroidism. However, in patients with arthritis or bone symptoms, hyperparathyroidism has to be evaluated as a possible reason. Other manifestations of hyperparathyroidism include myopathy, tendon ruptures and unspecific symptoms of the muscles and skeleton. Gout as well as pseudogout may be associated with hyperparathyroidism. Hypoparathyroidism may cause musculoskeletal diseases mimicking ankylosing spondylitis or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Myopathies are sometimes induced by hypoparathyroidism. An association between systemic lupus erythematosus and hypoparathyroidism seems to exist.
