Serum lipids before and after parathyroidectomy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Eight males and 36 females with hypercalcaemia were operated upon for primary hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid adenomata were revealed in every case. The serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were determined before the operations and 6,12 and 18 months after them. Furthermore, the serum lipids of the patients were compared with those of a normacalcaemic sex- and age-matched control group. The serum cholesterol concentration in primary hyperparathyroidism was about 8-10% lower in both females and males compared with the correspondeing control cases and the levels of serum trigycerides were about 22% and 60% lower. After operation the serum cholesterol concentration returned to a normal level and the triglycerides nomalized. The results are discussed in the light of present knowledge about dietary calcium intake, primary hyperparathyroidism and lipid metabolism.