101. Vitamin D and risk of postoperative hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy.
- Author
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Griffin TP, Murphy MS, and Sheahan P
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Hypocalcemia epidemiology, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Postoperative Complications epidemiology, Retrospective Studies, Risk, Vitamin D Deficiency epidemiology, Hypocalcemia etiology, Postoperative Complications etiology, Thyroidectomy, Vitamin D Deficiency etiology
- Abstract
Importance: Transient hypocalcemia is a well-recognized occurrence after total thyroidectomy. It has been hypothesized that underlying vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of this complication, although to date there are few data in the literature supporting this hypothesis., Objective: To investigate whether perioperative vitamin D levels have any effect on postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia., Design, Setting, and Participants: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of thyroidectomies from November 1, 2009, through September 30, 2012, at an academic teaching hospital. The study included 121 patients with available vitamin D levels undergoing total or completion thyroidectomy. Patients with preexisting hypercalcemia or hyperparathyroidism were excluded., Interventions: All patients underwent total removal of all thyroid tissue by a capsular dissection technique. Routine calcium or vitamin D supplementation was not administered. Biochemical hypocalcemia was defined as any single postoperative corrected calcium level less than 8.0 mg/dL (to convert to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.25) and symptomatic hypocalcemia as any symptoms of hypocalcemia., Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcome measures were incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia and association with vitamin D levels. A multivariate analysis was performed to study the effect of other variables, including performance of central neck dissection, incidental parathyroidectomy, and hyperthyroidism, on the incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia., Results: The incidence of transient biochemical hypocalcemia was 24% (n = 29/121). There was no correlation between vitamin D levels and risk of postoperative hypocalcemia. On univariate analysis, performance of concomitant central compartment neck dissection revealed an increased risk of hypocalcemia (P = .06), but this finding was not significant on multivariate analysis., Conclusions and Relevance: Vitamin D levels do not appear to have a significant effect on the risk of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia.
- Published
- 2014
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