Primary hyperparathyroidism linked to bone fracture, stroke, and heart attack

Previous studies have linked primary hyperparathyroidism to osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. However, since these studies have been few and small, the association has been debated.

Many complications

This study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, is based on national register data from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. All the 16,374 patients included were diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism sometime between 2006 and 2017. Each was compared with ten control individuals from the population born in the same year, of the same sex, and residing in the same county.

"We show that untreated primary hyperparathyroidism means a 51% higher risk of hip fracture and a 45% increase in heart attack or stroke risk. The kidney stone risk is almost quadrupled and, additionally, the risk of death is raised by 72%.

The increased likelihood of these complications highlights the importance of identifying patients with this hormonal disease," says Kristian Axelsson, researcher at the University of Gothenburg, resident in general medicine within the public primary care in Region Västra Götaland, and the study's first author.