Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Chronic hypoparathyroidism and its treatment are associated with an increased risk of complications that can impact the patient’s quality of life.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, etiological profile, and long-term complications of patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism.

Patients and methods: A retrospective descriptive study over a 4-year period involving 66 patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases of Ibn Rochd University Hospital.

Results: Of the 66 included patients, 48 had post-surgical hypoparathyroidism, 15 non-surgical, and 3 had pseudohypoparathyroidism. The average age was 41.2 years with a female predominance in 80.3% of cases. The average disease duration was 5.8 years. Regarding complications of chronic hypoparathyroidism, 24.2% of patients had nail and hair disorders, 15% had bilateral cataracts, and 13.6% experienced generalized seizure episodes. Brain imaging was performed in 42% of patients, with Fahr’s syndrome observed in 21.2% of cases, with no observed link between seizures and Fahr’s syndrome. Kidney stones were observed in 22.7% of patients. 93.9% of patients presented signs of hypocalcemia requiring hospitalization, and 6% manifested a hypercalcemia crisis requiring intensive care and dialysis in one patient.

Conclusion: Patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism frequently develop complications, including ectopic calcifications. Therefore, there is a need to increase screening for long-term complications in accordance with guidelines.