Parathyroid gland: The importance of being ionized

摘要

Ionized calcium measurements are more accurate for establishing calcium status and diagnosing hyperparathyroidism than total calcium quantification, according to researchers from Australia.Routine tests for diagnosing calcium-related disorders typically measure levels of total serum calcium as a surrogate for the biologically active ionized form.The investigators retrospectively mined a database of biochemical test results from 5,490 patients with suspected calcium or metabolic bone disorders and compared total and ionized calcium levels. Similar test data were obtained for 143 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy, in order to investigate calcium status in diagnosed parathyroid disease.