Ja. Ramirez et al., CALCITRIOL THERAPY AND CALCIUM-REGULATED PTH SECRETION IN PATIENTS WITH SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM, American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism, 30(6), 1994, pp. 50000961-50000967
Calcitriol lowers serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients w
ith secondary hyperparathyroidism, but its effect on calcium-regulated
PTH release remains controversial. Thus 11 patients with secondary hy
perparathyroidism underwent dynamic tests of parathyroid function befo
re and after 4 mo of intermittent calcitriol therapy. Serum calcitriol
levels rose from 8 +/- 1 to 55 +/- 9 (SE) pg/ml, P < 0.01, serum tota
l and ionized calcium levels increased, and serum PTH levels decreased
from 584 +/- 154 to 154 +/- 31 pg/ml, P < 0.05. The maximum increase
in serum PTH during hypocalcemia did not differ before (248 +/- 78 pg/
ml) or after (280 +/- 100 pg/ml) treatment, but the increase in PTH, e
xpressed as a percentage of preinfusion values, was greater after trea
tment (329 +/- 73 vs. 132 +/- 10%, P < 0.05). The decreases in serum P
TH during calcium infusions did not differ before (70 +/- 5%) or after
(73 +/- 5%) therapy, and the set point for PTH release did not change
(1.20 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.23 +/- 0.01 mmol/l, not significant). Calcitriol
modifies PTH secretion during hypocalcemia in secondary hyperparathyr
oidism without affecting the set point for PTH release; although calci
triol lowers serum PTH levels, it may also restore the secretory reser
ve of hyperplastic parathyroid tissues during hypocalcemia.