Bone mineral density and blood pressure in patients with asymptomatic hyperparathyroidism. The Tromso Study

Objective. To evaluate bone mineral density and blood pressure in asymptoma tic hyperparathyroidism. Design. A case-control study. Setting. The participants obtained from an epidemiological survey in Tromso 1994-95, that included more than 27 000 subjects. The re-examination in 19 98 was performed at the University Hospital of Tromso, Norway. Participants. Thirty-nine subjects with hyperparathyroidism and 72 control subjects were studied. Main outcome measures. Bone mineral density measurements of the lumbar spin e and the proximal femur (femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and trochanter). S ystolic and diastolic blood pressure. Results. In the hyperparathyroidism group bone mineral density was signific antly lower measured at the lumbar spine (1.000 +/- 0.181 vs. 1.079 +/- 0.1 94 g cm(-2), mean +/- SD, P < 0.01) and at the femoral neck (0.806 +/- 0.12 1 vs. 0.852 +/- 0.141 g cm(-2), P < 0.05). In the females, but not in the m ales, blood pressure was significantly higher in the hyperparathyroidism gr oup than in the control group [systolic blood pressure 146.7 +/- 18.6 vs. 1 37.4 +/- 23.0 mmHg (P < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure 88.1 +/- 11.8 vs . 82.2 +/- 10.6 mmHg (P < 0.05)]. In the females the number of subjects on antihypertensive medication was significantly higher in the hyperparathyroi dism group than in the control group (32.1% and 16.6%, respectively, P < 0. 01). Conclusions. Subjects with asymptomatic hyperparathyroidism have moderately reduced bone mineral density. In females with hyperparathyroidism there is an increase in blood pressure.