Evaluation of coronary calcium score in patients with normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism

RATIONALE: Given that the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is given at an increasingly less-symptomatic phase, and the literature data on the cardiovascular risk of patients with normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NPHPT) are controversial, the coronary calcium score (CCS), which is correlated with coronary artery disease, may be useful for clarifying the association between cardiovascular risk and NPHPT. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to describe the CCS and the clinical and laboratory variables of patients with NPHPT compared with a control group and to verify the presence of an association between NPHPT and CCS. STUDY POPULATION AND METHODS: A questionnaire on anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure) was used, laboratory examinations (estimations of glucose, glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], total cholesterol [TC] and its fractions, triglycerides, creatinine, calcium, parathyroid hormone, and 25-OH vitamin D) were conducted, and computerized tomography was carried out to measure the CCS in 13 patients diagnosed with NPHPT and 16 controls. RESULTS: There was no association between NPHPT and altered CCS (odds ratio [OR]: 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05–1.26; p=0.095). Differences between the case and control groups were found in terms of body mass index (BMI) (26.97 kg/m(2) vs 31.53 kg/m(2), respectively; p=0.044), HbA1c (5.59% vs 6.62%; p=0.000), and TC (188.07 mg/dL vs 220.64 mg/dL; p=0.088). After adjustment for potential confounders, no statistical significance was observed for the association between changes in CCS and presence of NPHPT (adjusted OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.1–26.43; p=0.726). CONCLUSION: No association was found between the CCS and the presence of NPHPT.