EVALUATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM AND CONCOMITANT THYROID DISEASE

Objective. Thyroid diseases coexisting with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) may individually change the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the patients. In our study, we aimed to investigate the thyroid diseases coexisting with PHPT and the relation between these two clinical situations. Methods. We retrospectively investigated 255 patients who were diagnosed as PHPT between 2004-2009 in our clinic. The general characteristics of the patients, laboratory tests, which were performed preoperatively, neck ultrasonography, thyroid and parathyroid scintigraphy and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) results were assessed. Cytological results of the nodules with preoperative FNAB were compared with the postoperative histological results. Results. Of the patients, 49 were male (19.2%) and 206 were female (80.8%). Mean age was 54.5+/-12.8. Bilateral neck exploration (BNE) was performed on 69 cases (27%), minimal invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) on 78 cases (30.5%) and BNE plus thyroidectomy on 108 cases (42.5%). When all thyroid diseases were taken into account, prevalence of the coexisting thyroid disease was 65%, prevalence of nodular thyroid disease 52.1%, thyroid cancer 16.7% and thyroid dysfunction 11.8%. The mean age of the patients with a nodular goitre was significantly higher than of the patients who did not have nodules (p<0.001). General demographic data, calcium and PTH levels did not show any difference. Number of nodules was correlated with age (p<0.001, r=0.227). Conclusion. The relation between PHPT and nodular thyroid diseases is coincidental and this can be explained by the fact that both diseases occur in advanced age.