Study: No link between early parathyroidectomy, reduced depression risk in primary hyperparathyroidism patients

Editor's Note

Research suggests parathyroidectomy may not provide a mental health benefit for PHPT patients, particularly in the context of preventing new depression.

Published September 4 in JAMA Surgery, the study examined 40,231 adults with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), revealing that early parathyroidectomy does not reduce the risk of developing new depression compared to nonoperative management. The research, which used Veterans Affairs data from 2000-2019, compared the cumulative incidence of depression over 10 years in patients undergoing surgery within one year of PHPT diagnosis versus those managed nonoperatively.

Results revealed no significant difference in depression incidence between the two groups, with 11% of patients undergoing surgery and 9% of nonoperative patients developing depression within five years, rising to 18% in both groups by 10 years. Subgroup analyses based on age and serum calcium levels also found no effect of surgery on depression risk.