Parathyroidectomy improves concentration and retentiveness in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.
BACKGROUND
Many patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) show symptoms of hypercalcemia syndrome, including psychologic and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to find out whether parathyroidectomy improves cognitive performance with regard to concentration and retentiveness in patients with PHPT.


METHODS
. Twenty patients with PHPT underwent psychologic testing preoperatively as well as 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Concentration under stress (timing) was proved by the d2-Test of Attention. To evaluate retentiveness, parts of the Wilde Intelligence Test were used. Patients were tested under identical circumstances with regard to time, location, and tester to minimize exterior influences.


RESULTS
The patients' concentration enhanced significantly postoperatively (P <.001). The same applied to the total number of items processed (P <.01). Improvement of patients' ability to memorize numbers reached statistical significance when comparing the preoperative with the postoperative result (P =.0396); furthermore, there was a tendency to perform the tests more carefully and accurately (P =.069).


CONCLUSIONS
Parathyroidectomy not only betters physical symptoms of PHPT but can also positively influence the patients' cognitive performance. These findings reflect the clinical observation of the patients' improved mental capacity after parathyroidectomy.
Prager
Gerhard
G
Section of Endocrine Surgery, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Vienna Medical School, AKH-Vienna, Leitstelle 21A, Waeringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Kalaschek
Andreas
A
Kaczirek
Klaus
K
Passler
Christian
C
Scheuba
Christian
C
Sonneck
Gernot
G
Niederle
Bruno
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016105:Parathyroidectomy; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis