Renal lithiasis and hyperparathyroidism: diagnosis, management and prognosis

From 1969 to 1979, 448 patients underwent parathyroid exploration for presumed hyperparathyroidism. Of these patients 184 had associated renal calculus disease, 72 of whom (16 per cent) had metabolically active stone disease. Of these 72 patients 48 had adenomas, 18 had hyperplasia and 6 had normal glands. Of those patients with assessable disease none with adenomas has had recurrent calculi, whereas calculi continued to form in 45 per cent of the patients with hyperplastic glands and in 50 per cent of those with normal glands. Although most patients with adenomas had persistent calcium elevations 13 were identified with only intermittent hypercalcemia. Serum parathormone calcium elevations 13 were identified with only intermittent hypercalcemia. Serum parathormone served to confirm the presence of parathyroid pathology. Urinary calcium levels were of no diagnostic benefit.