ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Parathyroidectomy is recommended for curing primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), although uncertainty remains regarding the extent of fracture risk reduction following surgery. OBJECTIVE: To compare fracture risk and bone mineral density (BMD) changes in patients with PHPT undergoing parathyroidectomy (PTX) versus observation (OBS). DATA SOURCES: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library until September 2022, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies, and reviewed citations from previous reviews. STUDY SELECTION: Among 1,260 initial records, 48 eligible articles from 35 studies (5 RCTs; 30 cohorts) included PHPT patients receiving PTX or OBS interventions with reported fracture events at any site, including the hip, spine, or forearm, and/or BMD changes at each location. DATA EXTRACTION: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines by two independent reviewers. DATA SYNTHESIS: In 238,188 PHPT patients (PTX: 73,778 vs. OBS: 164,410), parathyroidectomy significantly reduced fractures at any site (RR, 0.80; 95%CI, 0.74-0.86) compared to observation. In 237,217 patients (PTX: 73,458 vs. OBS: 163,759), the risk of hip fractures decreased (RR, 0.63; 95%CI, 0.52-0.76). No reduction in forearm and vertebral fractures was observed in 3,574 and 3,795 patients, respectively. The annual percentage BMD changes from baseline were higher in the PTX group: femoral neck, 1.91% (95%CI, 1.14-2.68); hip, 1.75% (95%CI, 0.58-2.92); radius, 1.75% (95%CI, 0.31-3.18); spine, 2.13% (95%CI, 1.16-3.10). CONCLUSIONS: Parathyroidectomy significantly reduced overall and hip fracture risks in PHPT patients. Despite minimal BMD increase, the substantial decrease in fracture risk suggests additional benefits of PTX beyond mineral content enhancement.