Quality of life in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism after surgery

BACKGROUND: For a comprehensive assessment of the effect of surgery in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), as well as for monitoring the condition of patients after treatment, it sounds reasonable to evaluate quality of life (QoL) and symptoms in PHPT patients before and after surgery.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the QoL and symptoms in patients with PHPT after surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: During prospective observational study, patients filled out QoL questionnaires and evaluated the presence and severity of their symptoms prior to parathyroidectomy (PTE) and 3, 12 months after surgery. Statistical analysis included the following methods: Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon’s non-parametric test, the generalized estimating equations (GEE), correlation analysis, χ2 and McNemar tests.

RESULTS: The study included 72 patients (mean age 52 years, 97.2% female) with symptomatic (68.1%) and asymptomatic (31.9%) PHPT. Before surgery patients with PHPT exhibited significantly decreased role functioning, physical and social well-being, and vitality. Half of PHPT patients experienced moderate-to-severe symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, loss of concentration, mood changes, as well as joint and bone pain; the association between symptoms experienced and the extent of QoL impairment before surgery was shown. Three months after PTE improvement in both physical and psychological components of QoL was shown. Positive QoL changes were demonstrated in patients with both symptomatic and asymptomatic PHPT and they preserved for 12 months after surgery. Also within 12 months after PTE significant decrease in PHPT-associated symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, loss of concentration and mood changes was found.

CONCLUSION: The results obtained demonstrate efficacy of PTE from the patient’s perspective and confirm the value of QoL assessment in PHPT patients in management of this patients’ population both for decision making and for evaluation of benefits of surgery and the degree of recovery of patients at long term follow-up.

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