Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Generation of Hypoparathyroid Rats via Carbon-Nanoparticle-Assisted Parathyroidectomy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Persistent hypercalcemia after parathyroidectomy in an adolescent and effect of treatment with cinacalcet HCl
Lorin M Henrich1, Alan D Rogol, Pierre D'Amour
1Department of Pathology, University of Virginia Medical School, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. lmh5p@virginia.edu
Background:
Hyperparathyroidism is uncommon in adolescence and is more likely to persist after parathyroidectomy than in adults. Cinacalcet HCl is a new calcimimetic that has been used successfully for the treatment of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults, but its use in adolescents has not been reported.
Case:
A 16 year-old male presented with hypercalcemia that had persisted for 1.5 years after parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations were nonsupressed despite a mean (SD) serum calcium concentration of 2.82 (0.06) mmol/L. Treatment with cinacalcet HCl was initiated and a pharmacodynamic profile was obtained for serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH. Cinacalcet HCl normalized serum calcium. The changes in PTH were assay dependent.
Issues:
We use this case conference to review the evaluation of hypercalcemia in adolescents, examine the changes in relevant laboratory results during treatment with cinacalcet HCl, and discuss differences among assays for PTH.
Conclusions:
Interpretation of PTH results in patients treated with cinacalcet HCl requires consideration of the pharmacodynamic effects of the drug and the nature of the PTH assay.
Related Concept Videos
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by producing...
Urinary Tract Calculi IV: Nutrition Therapy and Prevention
Bone Remodeling