The potential role of preoperative trabecular bone score in predicting changes in bone mineral density after parathyroidectomy

Abstract

Background: The skeletal indication for parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is based on bone mineral density (BMD) T-score < − 2.5. Whether trabecular bone score (TBS) additionally identifies patients who benefit from parathyroidectomy in terms of bone health is unknown. We aimed to study changes in BMD and TBS among Chinese who underwent curative parathyroidectomy for PHPT, in relation to their preoperative parameters, especially in those with worst site BMD T-score ≥ − 2.5 (non-osteoporotic range).

Methods: We included consecutive Chinese individuals who underwent curative parathyroidectomy during 2002–2015 for PHPT and completed preoperative and postoperative BMD and TBS measurements in Queen Mary Hospital. Correlations between preoperative parameters and changes in densitometric parameters were studied.

Results: 45 Chinese individuals (13 men, 32 women) were included (mean age 62.0 ± 10.0 years and BMI 24.6 ± 4.7 kg/m2). After parathyroidectomy, BMD at lumbar spine (LS) improved by 6.7% (p < 0.001) while TBS did not change. Among women, peak preoperative parathyroid hormone and calcium levels independently predicted LS BMD gain. Among women with BMD in non-osteoporotic range, LS BMD also improved after parathyroidectomy, where preoperative TBS was the only significant variable inversely correlating with percentage change in LS BMD (ρ − 0.775, p = 0.005). Particularly, those with preoperative TBS ≤ 1.25 gained 7.1% LS BMD post-parathyroidectomy (p = 0.003).

Conclusions: LS BMD, but not TBS, improved after parathyroidectomy. Among non-osteoporotic PHPT women, preoperative TBS inversely correlated with postoperative BMD improvement. Hence, low preoperative TBS may be an additional indication for surgical benefit with parathyroidectomy in non-osteoporotic PHPT women, as those with worse preoperative TBS tend to benefit more from surgery.