Coexistence of Pancreatitis and Hyperparathyroidism

Abstract

Excerpt The coexistence of pancreatitis and hyperparathyroidism appears to be more than coincidental (1-4). Mixter, Keynes, and Cope (4) have noted the importance of pancreatitis as a clue in the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and have recently reviewed the literature consisting of 62 cases. Although it has been stated that surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism usually decreases the frequency of attacks of pancreatitis (1, 4, 5), objective follow-up data on pancreatic function have been sparse. The following case is presented to emphasize the usefulness of the secretin test in objectively assessing the effects of parathyroid surgery on pancreatic function in these patients. CASE