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Twice-daily treatment with Forsteo (teriparatide) — a synthetic parathyroid hormone fragment sold as Forteo in the U.S. — safely and significantly improves calcium and phosphate control in children with hypoparathyroidism who failed to respond to standard treatment, a small study in France shows. During treatment of at least…

A new study out of the Netherlands has found a high incidence — 15% — of long-term hypoparathyroidism in patients after surgery on the thyroid gland. “These data provide a better understanding of the magnitude of this postoperative complication and enable more realistic information for patients who are undergoing…

An 86-year-old woman with hypoparathyroidism and progressive cognitive deficits was found to have calcium deposits in both hemispheres of her brain, according to a case report. The study, “Hypoparathyroidism Associated with Vascular Centrum Semiovale Calcifications,” was reported in the journal Annals of Neurology. Hypoparathyroidism is typically associated…

TransCon PTH normalized calcium levels in the blood and urine of adults with hypoparathyroidism and eliminated the need for vitamin D supplements and high doses of calcium, according to more than 1.5 years of trial data. This data — 84 weeks’ worth in all — came from the…

Replacement therapy with parathyroid hormone (PTH) — the hormone found at low levels in patients with hypoparathyroidism — requires the presence of another hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) to help the kidneys expel excess phosphate, a small study has found. The study, “PTH and FGF23 exert…

A retrospective study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that healthcare costs for those with rare diseases have been underestimated, possibly being three to five times higher than for those without rare diseases. This study provides evidence of the potential effect rare diseases may have on public health…

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) diagnostic criteria for postoperative hypoparathyroidism are useful to doctors in grouping patients based on symptoms, which could help in managing the disease, a study reported. “However,” the researchers wrote, differentiating patients in this way “may underestimate the actual incidence,” or the number of…

AZP-3601, an investigational treatment for chronic hypoparathyroidism, was able to safely increase blood calcium levels in healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 clinical trial, top-line data show. “We are pleased with these clinical trial results for AZP-3601 … as they support a potential therapeutic profile that we believe can address…

A routine procedure called PGA — for parathyroid gland autotransplantation — often done following surgery to remove the thyroid gland, is associated with a higher risk of immediate hypoparathyroidism, a study shows. However, PGA did not raise the risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism, or that lasting more than six months.

Football and science seem to be disparate fields of play at first glance, but the nonprofit Uplifting Athletes is finding common ground by leveraging the popularity of college gridiron games to fund research for rare diseases. Its nearly two dozen chapters — representing college football teams across the nation…