This study was aimed at examining the relation between secondary hyper
parathyroidism (sHPT) and depressive syndromes in chronic renal failur
e (CRF). Sample and methods: 59 chronic CRF patients and 16 depressive
patients without CRF were included. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), calciu
m and phosphate as well as psychopathology were measured. Results: Dep
ressive CRF patients with cognitive disorders show higher levels of PT
H than less or not depressive subjects. With respect to the literature
, our results give reason to assume that sHPT may play a pathogenetic
role in those depressive syndromes which are additionally characterize
d by cognitive disorders.