Cardiac Structure and Function Before and After Parathyroidectomy in Patients With Asymptomatic Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is associated with cardiac disease and increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. We investigated cardiac structural and functional parameters before and after successful parathyroidectomy in asymptomatic PHPT patients. Methods and Results: Forty-nine PHPT patients (age: 62.9 +/- 11 years, 5 men) and 48 healthy control subjects, matched for age, sex and smoking status were enrolled in the study. PHPT patients were examined preoperatively and 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Structural and functional cardiac parameters were assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. One year after parathyroidectomy left ventricular (LV) mass, left atrial size, LV enddiastolic and endsystolic diameters, LV posterior wall and interventricular septum diameter, and right ventricular enddiastolic diameter were all increased in PHPT patients, although not significantly. As an indication of worsened LV diastolic function, the heart rate adjusted Doppler-derived deceleration time of the transmittal E-wave increased among PHPT patients (276 +/- 82-303 +/- 54 milliseconds, P = 0.004). There was also deterioration of LV ejection fraction (from 62.7 +/- 7 to 59.9 +/- 7.8%, P = 0.868) and mean atrioventricular plane displacement (from 13.2 +/- 2 to 12.6 +/- 2 mm, P = 0.029). Conclusion: There were no significant differences in heart function between hyperparathyroid and control subjects, and 6 months after parathyroidectomy, there was no change in heart function in hyperparathyroid subjects.