Ana Pena, PhD,  —

Hypoparathyroidism may be the underlying cause of movement disorders, such as chorea, that are associated with calcium deposits in the brain, a case study reports. In patients with such motor problems and brain calcifications but no other neurological signs, doctors should strongly consider hypoparathyroidism, the researchers said.

A 61-year-old woman’s case calls attention to the potential development of calcium-alkali syndrome (CAS) — a condition that can damage the kidneys — due to taking too many calcium and vitamin D supplements to treat hypoparathyroidism. Although such cases are rare, it is important to raise awareness for…

Clinicians should consider the possibility of hypoparathyroidism in patients with chronic low levels of calcium, recurrent twitching of hands or feet, and even epileptic-like psychiatric symptoms to ensure early diagnosis and treatment, a case study reports. The study, “Hypoparathyroidism with Fahr’s syndrome: A case report and review…

High body mass index (BMI) may predict poor response to standard vitamin D treatment in people with chronic hypoparathyroidism, a pilot study has found. If confirmed in future studies, the findings may help clinicians adjust their vitamin D recommendations, suggest lifestyle changes to lose weight, or consider early therapy…

An easy-to-use scale accessing the severity of 17 symptoms linked to hypoparathyroidism from a patient’s perspective has been developed by researchers. If confirmed in future tests, this scale could be useful in evaluating disease burden and treatment effect in people with disease. The results, “Assessing…

A case report in China suggests that a liver transplant may rescue hypoparathyroidism caused by Wilson’s disease, although the collected evidence is not yet sufficient to confirm this. A 19-year-old man with both conditions underwent a liver transplant to treat Wilson’s disease, a rare genetic disorder characterized by excess…

Noting low parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy can be useful for identifying patients at risk of developing permanent hypoparathyroidism, a single-center study in Italy has found. The findings were described in the report “Correlation between iPTH levels on the first postoperative…

Although treatment with dexamethasone before thyroid surgery does not significantly prevent hypoparathyroidism and excess calcium following the procedure, the frequency of hypoparathyroidism after surgery tended to be lower with dexamethasone treatment, a clinical study has found. Results of the study, “Preventive Effect of Dexamethasone Therapy on the…

Researchers have mapped in detail the molecular structure and dynamics of the cell receptor that “reads” the signals sent by the parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is defective in people  with hypoparathyroidism. The new insights may help develop more effective treatments with fewer side effects to modulate the activity of this…

Patients with hypoparathyroidism who experience severe symptoms and a low quality of life, despite receiving regular medication, would consider a parathyroid transplant as an appealing treatment option, a study has found. The study, “Patients’ views about parathyroid transplantation for post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism,…