Objective: To investigate the controversial relationship between preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels and the dimensions and histological features of parathyroid adenoma in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.
Study design: Historical cohort.
Setting: Tertiary medical centre.
Subjects and methods: Clinical and tumour-related data were collected from the medical files of all patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism in 1996-2012. Preoperative blood parathyroid hormone and calcium levels and urine calcium levels were correlated with the size, weight and volume of the parathyroid adenoma. Pathohistological features were determined in a representative sample of archived paraffin-embedded sections and analysed by calcium or parathyroid hormone level (high/low) and adenoma weight (high/low).
Results: A total of 378 patients were included. There was a statistically significant direct correlation of preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels with tumour dimensions and of tumour weight and chief-cell percentage. At a preoperative calcium level >11.5 mg/dL and parathyroid hormone (PTH) level >165 mg/dL, we predict that the adenoma would measure more than 2.7 g, 2.18 cm and volume of 3.59 cm3 .
Conclusions: In patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, preoperative calcium and PTH levels may be predictive of parathyroid adenoma dimensions.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.