Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 14, 2025
Generation of Hypoparathyroid Rats via Carbon-Nanoparticle-Assisted Parathyroidectomy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Bone status in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism: results from the Italian HypoparaNET database
Francesca Marini1, Francesca Giusti2,3, Blandine Weiss4
1FirmoLab, Fondazione FIRMO Onlus and Stabilimento Chimico Farmaceutico Militare, Florence, Italy.
Insights
Chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) patients show osteoporosis prevalence similar to the general population, with risks increasing with age and in postmenopausal women. Regular bone health monitoring is crucial for these individuals, especially those with genetic HypoPT.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Bone Metabolism
- Rare Diseases
Background:
- Chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by low parathyroid hormone, leading to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia.
- Bone health is significantly impacted in HypoPT due to altered bone mass and microarchitecture, compounded by age-related bone loss and menopause.
- Understanding bone status in HypoPT is critical for managing long-term skeletal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bone status in a cohort of Italian patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT).
- To analyze bone health parameters in relation to patient demographics, HypoPT etiology, and biochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed 162 adult and 11 pediatric HypoPT patients from the HypoparaNET database.
- Bone status was assessed considering sex, age, HypoPT etiology, urinary calcium and phosphate excretion, and serum 25(OH)-vitamin D levels.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in adult HypoPT patients was 17.3%, slightly lower than the general population (18.3%).
- Osteoporosis prevalence increased with age and was more frequent in postmenopausal women.
- Ageing and female sex were confirmed as independent risk factors for osteoporosis in the HypoPT cohort.
Conclusions:
- Regular bone health follow-up is essential for HypoPT patients, particularly postmenopausal women and young individuals with genetic forms of the condition.
- Therapeutic interventions aimed at balancing bone turnover and preventing bone loss may be beneficial for HypoPT patients with reduced bone mass.
- Maintaining optimal bone health across all age groups is a key objective in managing chronic hypoparathyroidism.
Background:
Chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare endocrine condition, having variable etiology, characterized by low parathyroid hormone levels, leading to reduced calcium levels and increased phosphorus values in the blood. Bone health is an important clinical aspect to be considered in patients with HypoPT, whose skeleton is exposed both to the HypoPT-induced alteration of bone mass and microarchitecture, and to the natural occurrence and progression of bone mass loss due to menopause and ageing.
Aim:
Investigating bone status in a cohort of Italian HypoPT patients from the HypoparaNET database.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, we retrospectively analyzed bone status in 162 adult, and 11 children and adolescent HypoPT cases, based to their sex, age, HypoPT etiology, urinary excretion of calcium and phosphate, and serum level of 25(OH)-vitamin D.
Results:
Overall prevalence of osteoporosis in adult HypoPT patients was found to be slightly lower to that of the general population (17.3% vs 18.3%), increasing with ageing and being more frequent in postmenopausal women. Data from our HypoPT cohort confirmed that ageing and female sex are independent risk factors for osteoporosis, even among individuals with HypoPT.
Discussion:
Results from this study suggest the importance of a regular follow-up of bone health in HypoPT, especially in postmenopausal women and young patients with a genetic form of HypoPT.
Conclusions:
Medical therapies aim at restoring a balanced bone turnover and preventing bone tissue loss could be indicated in HypoPT cases with reduced bone mass to grant a better bone health at any age.
More Related Videos
07:12Establishment of a Simple and Effective Rat Model for Intraoperative Parathyroid Gland Imaging
Published on: August 17, 2022
07:13Two Techniques to Create Hypoparathyroid Mice: Parathyroidectomy Using GFP Glands and Diphtheria-Toxin-Mediated Parathyroid Ablation
Published on: March 14, 2017
Related Concept Videos
00:59The 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...
01:17Hormones 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...
01:21Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
00:51Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
01:24Chronic Kidney Disease II: Clinical Manifestations