Effect of calcium supplementation on severe hypocalcemia in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism after total parathyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Severe hypocalcemia (SH) is a dreaded complication of total parathyroidectomy (TPTX) without auto-transplantation. AIM: To compare conventional and preventive calcium supplementation (CS) regimens in terms of SH occurrence after TPTX. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who underwent TPTX between January 2015 and May 2018 at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. From January 2015 to May 2016, conventional CS was performed in patients who underwent TPTX, with calcium amounts adjusted according to postoperative serum calcium levels. From October 2016 to May 2018, preventive CS was performed according to preoperative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. The patients were defined as low-risk (ALP < 500 U/L) and high-risk (ALP > 500 U/L) for SH. All preoperative blood samples were collected in the fasting state on the day before surgery. Postoperative blood samples were obtained at 6-7 AM from the first postoperative day. RESULTS: A total of 271 patients were included. These patients were 47.7 ± 11.1 years old, and 57.6% were male. Their mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.9 ± 3.8 kg/m2. There were no significant differences in sex, age, BMI, preoperative ALP, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus ratio, and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) between the two CS groups. Compared with conventional CS, preventive CS led to lower occurrence rates of hypocalcemia within 48 h (46.0% vs 74.5%, P < 0.001) and SH (31.7% vs 64.1%, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that preoperative iPTH levels [odds ratio (OR) = 1.001, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.000-1.001, P = 0.009), preoperative ALP amounts (OR = 1.002, 95%CI: 1.001-1.003, P = 0.002), preoperative serum phosphorus levels (OR = 8.729, 95%CI: 1.518-50.216, P = 0.015) and preventive CS (OR = 0.132, 95%CI: 0.067-0.261, P < 0.001) were independently associated with SH. In patients with preoperative ALP ≥ 500 U/L, only preventive CS (OR = 0.147, 95%CI: 0.038-0.562. P = 0.005) was independently associated with SH. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that preventive CS could reduce the occurrence of SH, indicating its critical value for hypocalcemia after TPTX.

Analysis of the risk factors for central lymph-node metastasis of cN0 papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical lymph node (CLN) metastasis (CLNM) can be found in some patients with CLN-negative (cN0) papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), while the risk factors are still unknown. This study aimed to examine the risk factors of CLNM in patients with cN0 PTMC, contributing to screening cN0 PTMC patients with high risk in CLNM for preventive CLN dissection (CLND). METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive patients pathologically diagnosed with cN0 PTMC and who underwent surgery at the General Surgery Department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital between 07/2016 and 01/2020. The patients were grouped according to whether CLNM was present. Factors associated with CLNM were analyzed, and a risk prediction model was established in logistic regression analysis, and their predictive power was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). RESULTS: Finally, 171 patients were included; among them, 71 (41.5%) had CLNM. There were 32 males and 139 females. The multivariable analysis showed that males (OR = 5.619, 95%CI: 2.186-14.446; P < 0.001), age ≤45 years (OR = 2.982, 95%CI: 1.446-6.151; P = 0.003), adjacent to dorsal membrane (OR = 3.022, 95%CI: 1.430-6.387; P = 0.004), and irregular borders (OR = 4.332, 95%CI: 1.104-17.000; P = 0.036) were independent risk factors of CLNM. The risk prediction model composed of the four risk factors showed a relatively high AUC, at 0.760. When the cut-off was 0.38, the sensitivity was 67.6%, and the specificity was 73.0%. CONCLUSION: Male sex, age ≤45 years, adjacent to dorsal membranes, and irregular borders are independent risk factors for CLNM in patients with cN0 PTMC. This might help identify cN0 PTMC patients needing preventive CLND.

A novel proximal 3q29 chromosome microdeletion in a Chinese patient with Chiari malformation type II and Sprengel's deformity.

BACKGROUND: Chiari malformation type II (CM-II) is mainly characterized by elongation and descent of the cerebellum through the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. Moreover, CM-II is uniquely associated with myelomeningocele. Sprengel's deformity refers to the malposition of the scapula, i.e. scapular elevation which is sometimes accompanied with scapula dysplasia. Although few familial cases of CM-II and Sprengel's deformity have been previously reported, both of these defects are considered to be sporadic, thus the exact etiology and causative genes have largely remained unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was diagnosed with CM-II accompanied with Sprengel's deformity. Further genetic investigation revealed a novel 666 kb microdeletion located in 3q29 (chr3:194,532,035-195,198,585; Hg19). Subsequently, genes within the affected region were summarized, and XXYLT1 and ACAP2 were identified as the candidate genes. CONCLUSION: We reported a case of a patient with CM-II and Sprengel's deformity harboring a microdeletion in 3q29. This case highlights the importance of 3q29 in early neural and skeletal development, as well as expands the phenotype spectrum of this rare disorder.