No causal relationship: acute pancreatitis and primary hyperparathyroidism

Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism did not have an increased rate of developing acute pancreatitis, according to the results of a population-based study of a community cohort in Minnesota.

Researchers identified 684 patients who were diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism from 1965 to 2001. Patients were then compared with 1,364 matched controls to determine the estimated rate of developing acute pancreatitis and disease characteristics.

Ten patients (1.5%) with primary hyperparathyroidism developed acute pancreatitis compared with 32 controls (2.3%). The researchers calculated an estimated rate of development of acute pancreatitis of 114 per 100,000 person-years for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism compared with 140 per 100,000 person-years for people in the control group (P=.56).

Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and acute pancreatitis were mostly older women (mean age, 70.6 years). On average, patients had primary hyperparathyroidism for more than 11 years before developing acute pancreatitis.

The researchers reported no significant association with maximal serum calcium levels in primary hyperparathyroidism and development of acute pancreatitis.

Khoo TK. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;doi:10.1210/jc.2008-1965.