1/14. Documented hyperparathyroidism of thirty-six years' duration.The fascinating history of the first Memorial Hospital patient who was diagnosed as having hyperparathyroidism is reviewed. The illness presented as a cystic mass in a femur in 1929, which was treated with radiation. When the patient was first seen at Memorial Hospital in 1931, the diagnosis of osteitis fibrosa cystica was made; serum calcium was 14 mg/100 ml. In 1932, 6 years after Mandl performed the first parathyroidectomy ever for osteitis fibrosa cystica, this patient's neck was explored, and a right hemithyroidectomy was done, with removal of two normal parathyroid glands. The parathyroid tumor was finally located and partially removed in 1937 after a second failure at neck exploration in 1936. Correspondence between Dr. Edward D. Churchill at the massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Bradley Coley at Memorial Hospital indicated the concern at that time about uncontrollable tetany, which had been fatal in some contemporary cases and which had led to the practice of only partially removing the tumor. Following this, the patient was observed with documented hypercalcemia and chemical evidence of hyperparathyrodism until age 79. The physical and chemical abnormalities over the years up to and including her last exam are presented. The case is important not only from the historical viewpoint, but because it lends a perspective to long-term parathyroid disease, which is becoming less appreciated in this day of the routine serum calcium by SMA-12 screening. The question of partial parathyroidectomy for adenoma or hyperplasia is reviewed, and the question of observation of patients with mild hypercalcemia who probably have parathyroid tumors is discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/14. An unusual cause of hypercalcemia in polycythemia vera: parathyroid adenoma.In this paper we describe a patient with polycythemia vera (PV), who presented with hypercalcemia due to a parathyroid adenoma. In November 1999, the patient was admitted to our hospital with meteorism and constipation. Her physical examination revealed plethora and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory data revealed hyperparathyroidism in addition to PV: Rbc 8 x 10(6)/mm3, Hct 63.7%, serum calcium 13.4 mg/dl, serum phosphorus 1.2 mg/dl, albumin 4.25 mg/dl, and alkaline phophatase activity 433 U/l. Intact parathyroid hormone level (iPTH) was 376 pg/ml (n.v.12-72 pg/ml). Twenty-four hour urinary calcium excretion was higher than normal (900 mg). A parathyroid adenoma was detected with Tc-99m sesta-MIBI scanning under the left lobe of the thyroid gland and an ultrasonographic examination of the neck also supported the diagnosis. The patient was recommended for surgery. The histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. Postoperatively, iPTH dropped to 53.4 pg/ml at the 15 th minute and to 33.5 pg/ml at the first hour. The calcium level was 7.5 mg/dl one hour after the operation. Five days later, Hct was 40.8%. This case represents a rare association between PV and primary hyperparathyroidism, and may provide evidence for a causal link between PTH and polycythemia vera in our patient. In conclusion, this case indicates that the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia and polycythemia vera should also include the possibility of a parathyroid tumor in addition to malignancy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/14. Unusual presentation of a giant parathyroid adenoma: report of a case.Parathyroid adenomas account for most cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (1 degrees HPT). Certain symptoms and biochemical abnormalities alert the surgeon to their presence, since these benign tumors are rarely evident on physical examination. Moreover, because they are usually very small, preoperative localization using sestamibi scanning or ultrasonography is required to avoid bilateral neck exploration. Parathyroid adenomas rarely attain huge proportions. We report a case of a parathyroid adenoma measuring 8 x 5 x 3.5 cm and weighing 110 g; to our knowledge the greatest mass reported in the literature. Interestingly, despite its huge size it did not cause many of the hypercalcemic symptoms usually associated with larger adenomas, but rather it manifested with symptoms of local pressure, another unusual property of this atypical tumor.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/14. Primary hyperparathyroidism and neuropsychiatric alterations in a nonagenarian woman.Whether elderly patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) should be treated or not is still under debate. Several literature reports have shown improvements in terms of bone density and physical and mental well-being after surgical resolution of PHPT. Here, we present the case of a 93-year-old hypertensive woman, who had suffered for one year from cognitive impairment, accompanied during the last month by behavioral alterations (and polyuria and polydipsia), which resulted in sopor leading to hospitalization. A CT brain scan evidenced cortical atrophy and cerebrovascular disease, and biochemical analyses were remarkable for hypercalcemia (11.4-12.6 mg/dL, corrected for albumin levels) associated with increased parathormone levels (95.4-100.6 pg/mL). A diagnosis of PHPT was established. densitometry evaluation of radius showed osteopenia. Withdrawal of psycho-therapy drugs and thiazidic, together with i.v. saline hydration and loop diuretics, significantly improved the patient's mental state and resolved behavioral alterations. As the patient and her relatives refused the surgical option, and the clinical situation improved after medical normalization of calcium levels, PHPT was managed conservatively, and calcium levels were maintained within the normal range through i.v. administration of zoledronate at 8-week intervals. Our case highlights the importance of considering hypercalcemia as the cause of onset of behavioral alterations and worsening of mental condition in elderly patients with cognitive decline. Therapy with bisphosphonates in patients with PHPT who are unfit for or refuse surgery seems advisable, but needs further study.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/14. Acute relapsing pancreatitis in primary hyperparathyroidism with hypercalcemia aggravated after aspiration cytology: report of a case.In 1957, Cope and his associates first noted 2 cases of pancreatitis associated with primary hyperparathyroidism. They emphasized the association of hyperparathyroidism and pancreatitis. Since then pancreatitis has become a diagnostic clue to primary hyperparathyroidism. We report herein a 39-year-old woman who had suffered from acute relapsing pancreatitis 3 times in the past 2 years. hypercalcemia persisted throughout the course. A movable mass 3 x 3 cm in diameter was noted over the right thyroid area on physical examination. A hypoechogenic mass 3.5 x 2.7 x 1.4 cm was found between the right lobe of the thyroid and the carotid artery. Because of a persistently high serum level of Ca2 , normal saline and furosemide were infused; the serum Ca2 decreased gradually. After aspiration of the suspected mass, the serum level of Ca2 increased from 8.7 mg/dL to 18 mg/dL. Because of the impression of parathyroid adenoma, surgery was performed and a 3 x 2.5 x 1.5 cm well-encapsulated mass was excised without difficulty. Pathologic examination revealed a well-encapsulated parathyroid adenoma. This case reveals that primary hyperparathyroidism maybe one of the causes of pancreatitis, and aspiration cytology, although it may be helpful for the diagnosis, can aggravate the hypercalcemia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/14. Primary hyperparathyroidism mimicking vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease.We report a case of bone pain associated with primary hyperparathyroidism in a patient with sickle cell disease. A 17-year-old girl with sickle cell disease (SS phenotype) was seen for bilateral knee and back pain. She had had recurrent severe vaso-occlusive crises and acute chest syndrome in the course of her disease. In the last 2 years, she had frequent visits to the emergency department for severe bone pain. She complained of long-standing fatigue and lethargy. Her physical examination was normal. hydroxyurea treatment, as well as and long- and short-acting narcotics were given, with little improvement in symptoms. Poor compliance with medication, family dysfunction, and potential narcotic addiction were felt to be significant contributors to the patient's symptoms. She was incidentally found to have an extremely elevated total calcium level of 3.19 mmol/L (range: 2.25-2.76) with an ionized calcium level of 1.9 mmol/L (range: 1.15-1.35). phosphorus level was 0.82 mmol/L (range: 0.90-1.50), alkaline phosphatase level was elevated at 519 U/L (range: 10-170), and parathyroid hormone level was extremely high at 1645 pg/mL (range: 10-60). Her renal function was normal. ultrasonography of the neck and a Sestamibi scan revealed a single left inferior parathyroid adenoma adjacent to the thyroid lobe. There was no evidence of an underlying multiple endocrine neoplasia. The patient was diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism. Fluid hydration, hydrocortisone, calcitonin, and bisphosphonates were initiated for acute hypercalcemia management before surgical excision of the left parathyroid adenoma. On review of previous blood work, a borderline calcium level of 2.72 was present 18 months before this admission. Two years postsurgery, she has normal renal function, calcium, and parathyroid hormone levels. The weekly visits to the emergency department for pain episodes decreased to 1 every 2 months within the first few months after her surgery. The decrease in pain episodes, even if it coincided with the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism, may still reflect the natural evolution of sickle cell disease in this patient. However, the high morbidity associated with primary hyperparathyroidism was successfully prevented in this patient. Primary hyperparathyroidism is rare in childhood. In a recent study, it occurred more commonly in female adolescents and was because of a single adenoma, as in our patient. Significant morbidity, mainly secondary to renal dysfunction, was because of the delay in diagnosis after the onset of symptoms (2.0-4.2 years), emphasizing the need for a rapid diagnosis. Sickle cell disease affects approximately 1 of every 600 blacks in north america. Acute episodes of severe vaso-occlusive crisis account for > 90% of sickle cell-related hospitalizations and are a significant cause of morbidity in patients. There is no known association between sickle cell disease and primary hyperparathyroidism, and this case is most probably a random occurrence. However, as emphasized by this case report, pain may also be a harbinger of other disease processes in sickle cell disease. Because management may vary, we suggest that care providers consider the diagnosis of vaso-occlusive crisis as the diagnosis of exclusion and that other etiologies for pain be envisaged in this patient population, especially in the presence of prolonged pain or unusual clinical, radiologic, or biological findings.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/14. Neuropsychiatric disorders in primary hyperparathyroidism.This is a report of two middle-aged women whose diagnosis of PHPT was made on hypercalcemia during treatment of depression and paranoid state, leading to the surgical confirmation of parathyroid adenoma. After the operation, their mental symptoms disappeared as the blood level of calcium was depressed in both cases, and there has been no recurrence for 12 and 18 months, respectively. In Case, 1 antipsychotics were effective, though transiently, for the mental symptoms other than physical ones. In Case 2, levodopa and hypercalcemia might have acted synergistically. Abnormal metabolism of magnesium was not noted in either case. A preoperative EEG showed the presence of sporadic slow waves in Case 1 and low voltage activity in Case 2. After the operation, the EEG showed an improvement to regular hypersynchronous alpha activity in both cases. The mechanism involved in the appearance of mental symptoms and EEG findings in hypercalcemia were discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/14. carcinoma of the parathyroid gland: is it overdiagnosed? A report of three cases.The true incidence of carcinoma of the parathyroid gland is probably about 1 percent of cases of primary hyperparathyroidism. Overreporting may occur if the diagnosis is based on histologic appearances alone because the histologic criteria are less than definitive. carcinoma of the parathyroid gland, if diagnosed early and treated with adequate surgical excision, is associated with a satisfactory long-term prognosis. However, the possibility of distant metastases or locally recurrent disease is not necessarily excluded by a prolonged interval of disease-free status, and the physician should continue to follow the patient on a regular basis by physical examination and routine serum calcium analysis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/14. Delusional depression, hyperparathyroidism, and ECT.A woman with delusional depression and unsuspected primary hyperparathyroid disorders responded completely to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). hypercalcemia is a complicating factor in the treatment of delusional depression, but there is little evidence that it is causative and the use of ECT should not be delayed. The case adds to the literature confirming the efficacy and safety of ECT with physically ill patients when it may be a life-saving procedure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/14. A case of paranoid disorder associated with hyperthyroidism.This paper describes a patient presenting with paranoid symptoms who eventually was diagnosed as having Graves' disease. In this patient, paranoid disorder appeared to occur concurrently with hyperthyroidism in a clear state of consciousness. This case underscores the need to maintain a high index of suspicion of possible medical conditions in psychiatric patients. This is especially the case in the presence of unexplained symptoms and when there is a difficulty communicating with the patient. The importance of carrying out a careful physical examination on admission to a psychiatric unit is emphasized. Another indication for further medical investigation in a patient with psychiatric symptoms is the absence of a psychological explanation for a worsening of the psychiatric symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 13.089441711455keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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