The parathyroid in chronic renal failure-- a light and electron microscopical study.

The parathyroids from ten consecutive cases of chronic renal failure coming to operation in a period of seven years were studied by light and electron microscopy. The clinical and biochemical data as well as the levels of immunoreactive parathormone (iPTH) were reviewed. For the sake of comparison adenomata from two cases of primary hyperparathyroidism were studied. In the cases of chronic ;renal failure there were six cases of tertiary hyperparathyroidism with adenoma formation, surrounded by dense fibrous tissue and compression of adjacent parathyroid cell amidst a background of hyperplasia. Two cases showed secondary parathyroid hyperplasia and the remaining two cases were adenomata which clinically affected only one gland. Neither the biochemical data nor levels of iPTH allowed the cases with secondary hyperplasia to be separated from those with tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Similarly electron microscopy showed no distinct differences between these two groups of adenomata from cases of primary hyperparathyroidism. The diagnosis of tertiary hyperparathyroidism is made on a combination of clinical, biochemical and histological features, the histological features being most important. It is concluded that tertiary hyperparathyroidism is part of a histological spectrum in response to chronic renal failure and autonomous glands are related to the mass of parathyroid tissue present.