title: Use of Parathyroid Hormone Assay after Thyroidectomy: A Survey of US and European Surgeons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy results in prolongation of hospitalization and patient discomfort but can be predicted by PTH assays. However, there is considerable variation in their use.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was undertaken to document current US and European practice patterns regarding the use of this assay. Anonymous surveys were collected in 2009-2011 from members of the American Academies of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Endocrine Surgery and the European, Italian, French, Spanish and British Societies of Endocrine Surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 356 American (3% response) and 61 European (10% response) respondents. 105 (29.8%) American and 25 (41%) European respondents reported routine PTH assay use. Fellowship trained surgeons reported increased use of the PTH assay (P = 0.004). Shorter reported average post-operative hospital stay was associated with American physicians (P = 0.0001), community practice location (P = 0.0002) and routine calcium supplementation (P = 0.0015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical training was associated with routine use of the PTH assay. Average reported hospital stay was lower for American and community practice physicians and correlated with post-operative oral calcium use.
authors.affiliation: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: J Pieter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Noordzij
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kepchar
authors.forename: Ian K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brietzke
authors.forename: Pietro Giorgio
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Calò
keywords: hypocalcemia; hypoparathyroidism; parathyroid hormone; standard of care; survey study; thyroidectomy