title: Circulating intact parathyroid hormone levels in acute pancreatitis.
abstract: Serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and albumin were measured daily for 5 days in 41 selected patients with moderate to severe acute pancreatitis. The PTH level was measured by means of a two-site immunoradiometric assay specific for the intact polypeptide. A rise in PTH level was observed more commonly in patients with a complicated or fatal outcome than in those with an uncomplicated course (14 of 16 versus six of 25 patients, P < 0.001). Although PTH levels were variable in the presence of hypocalcaemia, raised concentrations were found more frequently in patients with complications (seven of eight versus two of seven without complications, P = 0.035). This study confirms that an appropriate rise in PTH level occurs in response to the hypocalcaemic stimulus in patients with acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Beastall
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Imrie
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Baxter
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002118:Calcium