Correlation between plasma calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a community-based cohort of men and women.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, an association has been noted between several abnormalities that characterize the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). These abnormalities include dyslipidaemia, obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension. The correlations between plasma calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and the variables in the MetS in a normal population are still unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To describe correlations between plasma calcium and PTH and the various abnormalities present in the MetS in a healthy population.


METHODS
We studied 1016 healthy individuals from the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) population of 70 years old, by means of plasma analyses of calcium, PTH, creatinine, lipids, insulin and glucose, as well as by standardized blood pressure measurements. Further, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were determined.


RESULTS
The more National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria for the MetS that were met, the higher the s-PTH and albumin-corrected s-calcium. Further, positive correlations between plasma calcium and BMI (P = 0.0003), waist circumference (P = 0.0009) and insulin resistance (P = 0.079) were found. PTH and BMI (P < 0.0001), waist circumference (P < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.0034), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.0008), serum triglycerides (P = 0.0003) and insulin resistance (P = 0.0003) were positively correlated, whereas serum high density lipoproteins (HDL) (P = 0.036) and PTH were negatively correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that PTH correlates with several of the metabolic factors included in the MetS within a normocalcaemic population. In addition, individuals with mild pHPT present significantly more NCEP criteria for MetS. We postulate that increased levels of PTH in pHPT may be associated with the increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen in pHPT.
Ahlström
Tommy
T
Department of Surgical Sciences, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Hagström
Emil
E
Larsson
Anders
A
Rudberg
Claes
C
Lind
Lars
L
Hellman
Per
P
D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood*
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002118:Calcium