Clinical profile, treatment practices, and complications in chronic hypoparathyroidism in a Middle Eastern cohort

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare but clinically significant endocrine disorder with an unknown prevalence and complication burden in our region.

This study aims to estimate the frequency of chronic hypoparathyroidism, assess its characteristics, and evaluate the current clinical practice of chronic postsurgical and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism in patients attending Dubai Hospital, UAE. It assesses biochemical profiles, physician monitoring practices, and their adherence to established guidelines.

A retrospective observational study was conducted by reviewing medical records of all eligible patients.

A total of 65 patients with a mean age of 47.02 years were included, mostly female (76.9%) and diagnosed with postsurgical hypoparathyroidism (81.5%). Regular monitoring included calcium and vitamin D, but phosphate and creatinine were monitored less frequently. Patients were commonly prescribed high doses of calcium (median 2400 mg), with idiopathic cases requiring higher doses (mean 4200 mg). Monitoring for course and complications revealed that 55.4% of patients underwent renal imaging, 27.7% had brain imaging, 75.4% received electrocardiography (ECG) assessments, 35.4% had echocardiography, and 44.6% had documented ophthalmologic evaluations.

This study provides the first epidemiological and demographic assessment of hypoparathyroidism in the UAE, highlighting both similarities and differences in frequency, revealing unique patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and monitoring practices. Compared to global trends, UAE patients demonstrated a higher calcium requirement and distinctive demographic patterns, including a younger mean age and a male predominance in idiopathic cases. Despite regular calcium and vitamin D monitoring, the study highlights suboptimal biochemical surveillance and complication screening, underscoring the need for improved adherence to clinical guidelines.