Increased leukotriene B4 synthesis in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism is normalized after parathyroidectomy: a study comparing parathyroidectomy to thyroid adenomectomy.

Synthesis of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) upon stimulation of peripheral blood samples with the calcium ionophore A 23187 was studied in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy. Preoperatively, an increased LTB4 concentration of 1.76 +/- 0.19 ng/ml plasma was found, vs. 0.95 +/- 0.28 ng/ml in healthy individuals. On the fourth day after operation, the LTB4 concentration was almost normalized, reaching 1.25 +/- 0.23 ng/ml plasma. At the same time, mean serum calcium levels were reduced from 6.1 +/- 0.6 meq/liter before operation to 4.53 +/- 0.28 meq/liter after operation. In a control group, euthyroid patients with thyroid adenomas who underwent adenomectomy had normal LTB4 levels before operation (0.84 +/- 0.11 ng/ml) and did not show significant changes in LTB4-synthesizing capacity. The results indicate that synthesis of LTB4 in vivo may depend in part on factors related to serum calcium concentration or calcium metabolism.