Hypoparathyroidism: Musculoskeletal Manifestations Related to Parathormone Deficiency

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare metabolic disorder that can be responsible for musculoskeletal manifestations.

We present a systematic review of musculoskeletal manifestations of adult-onset nonsurgical nongenetic hypoparathyroidism.

A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline using the MEDLINE database, including manuscripts describing musculoskeletal manifestations of adult-onset nonsurgical nongenetic hypoparathyroidism.

Musculoskeletal manifestations included myopathy, shoulder disorder, immune-negative non-erosive peripheral arthritis, axial involvement simulating spondylarthritis, and diffuse ligamentous ossifications. An association between hypoparathyroidism and spondyloarthritis or autoimmune diseases is possible. T-cell activation, seen in patients with hypoparathyroidism, may explain the co-occurrence of hypoparathyroidism with other autoimmune diseases. The treatment of these manifestations is based on calcium and active vitamin D supplementation. Parathyroid hormone may have an anabolic effect on muscle atrophy and muscle weakness. Parathyroid hormone can also promote bone formation and bone resorption by stimulating osteoclast differentiation by increasing RANKL (receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa-B ligand) expression. Therefore, hypoparathyroidism can be responsible for an increase in bone mineral density. However, the risk of fractures does not appear to be reduced due to changes in bone microarchitecture and the high risk of falls. Treatment with parathyroid hormone has been shown to improve bone microarchitecture.

Our review showed that musculoskeletal manifestations are frequent in patients with hypoparathyroidism, including muscular, axial, peripheral articular, and entheseal manifestations.