Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2020 Dec 10;13(12):e237875.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-237875.

Hypercalcaemia in primary hyperparathyroidism: a rare cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis

Prabir Kumar Kundu  1 , Satyaki Basu  1 , Uddalak Chakraborty  1 , Atanu Chandra  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hypercalcaemia in primary hyperparathyroidism: a rare cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis

Prabir Kumar Kundu et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Hyperparathyroidism leading to hypercalcaemia is a rare cause of acute pancreatitis with debatable association. The diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism is frequently overlooked or delayed as symptoms are non-specific and serum calcium is not routinely measured in acute pancreatitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of hyperparathyroidism may reduce the chances of complications. We report a 35-year-old woman, who was admitted with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis. She was previously diagnosed with gall-stone induced acute pancreatitis, had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but the recurrence of acute pancreatitis suggested an alternative aetiology and provoked extensive investigations. Serum calcium was found to be elevated. No additional risk factor for pancreatitis was found. Further workup revealed primary hyperparathyroidism, which was due to a functioning parathyroid adenoma. She has undergone parathyroidectomy followed by an uneventful recovery. She subsequently conceived and is now in her first trimester, without any recurrence of acute pancreatitis since her surgery.

Keywords: calcium and bone; endocrine system; gastrointestinal system; pancreatitis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Contrast-enhanced CT abdomen showing bulky pancreas with heterogenous attenuation, peripancreatic fat stranding with ascites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Single-photon emission CT suggestive of parathyroid adenoma in relation to left lobe and isthmus of thyroid gland.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bilezikian JP, Brandi ML, Rubin M, et al. Primary hyperparathyroidism: new concepts in clinical, densitometric and biochemical features. J Intern Med 2005;257:6–17. 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2004.01422.x - DOI - PubMed
    1. Silverberg SJ, Shane E, Dempster DW, et al. The effects of vitamin D insufficiency in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Am J Med 1999;107:561–7. 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00294-6 - DOI - PubMed
    1. William’s Textbook of Endocrinology, 13th edition, 28: 1282-1285, 2016
    1. Carnaille B, Oudar C, Pattou F, et al. Pancreatitis and primary hyperparathyroidism: forty cases. Aust N Z J Surg 1998;68:117–9. 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1998.tb04719.x - DOI - PubMed
    1. Egea Valenzuela J, Belchí Segura E, Sánchez Torres A, et al. Acute pancreatitis associated with hypercalcemia. A report of two cases. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2009;101:65–9. 10.4321/S1130-01082009000100009 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types