title: Does multiple gland disease in primary hyperparathyroidism correlate with age or sex?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Paediatric primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients suffer more often from multiple gland disease (MGD) than adults. The question occurs whether MGD in adult PHPT patients also correlates with age or sex and whether familial PHPT plays a decisive role. This is significant, as it would influence our decision for a focused approach or the bilateral cervical exploration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed 465 consecutive PHPT patients who underwent surgery in our department between September 2001 and December 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PHPT patients aged 40 years or younger suffered significantly more often from MGD than older patients (22.9% versus 11.0%). If familial PHPT disorders, which were more common in young patients, were excluded, the divergence between these two groups vanished (12.5% versus 10.0%). There was no statistical significant difference in the frequency of MGD between men (12.2%) and women (12.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If familial PHPT can be ruled out, the frequency of MGD in adult PHPT patients does not correlate with age or with sex. Therefore, age and sex do not imply specific surgical approaches in adult PHPT patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral and Endocrine Surgery, Lukaskrankenhaus Neuss, Preussenstr. 84, 41464, Neuss, Germany. denis.wirowski@t-online.de
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wirowski
authors.forename: Bernhard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lammers
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Goretzki
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049950:Hyperparathyroidism, Primary / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult