Łukasz Kunert, Jacek Gawrychowski, Jarosław Sobiś, Grzegorz Buła, Robert Pudlo

 

Aim. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), and to determine a relationship between the severity of these disorders and the serum calcium ion and parathyroid hormone level, as well as to evaluate the usefulness of self-rating scales in screening for depressive disorders in PHPT patients.

Method. Using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), study was performed on a group of 101 patients with PHPT. A control group included 50 patients diagnosed with non-toxic thyroid goiter.

Results. The HAM-D indicated higher prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms in the whole population of patients and in women with PHPT. Such a relationship was not observed in men. The BDI-II indicated higher prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms in the whole population of patients and in women with PHPT. Such a relationship was not observed in men. The HADS did not show significant differences in the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms between the study and control groups in the whole population and after taking into account the gender division.

Conclusions. A relationship between PHPT and depression was confirmed. Such a relationship was not confirmed for anxiety. A relationship between the severity of depression and the serum calcium ion and parathyroid hormone level was also not confirmed. A statistically significant negative correlation between the severity of anxiety and the serum calcium ion level in the whole population of patients, and an additional positive correlation between the serum parathyroid hormone level and the severity of anxiety in women were confirmed. Self-rating tests are not sufficient for screening for depressive disorders in PHPT patients.