July - September 2016, Volume 12, Issue 3

Daglar G, Kiliç MÖ, Çelik C, Yüksel C, Terzioglu SG, Özden S, Içen D

Is there a Relationship between Vitamin D Status and Hypocalcemia after Total Thyroidectomy?

Acta Endo (Buc) 2016, 12 (3): 291-296
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2016.291

Context. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium metabolism through parathormone-dependent process. Deficiency of this important nutrient may be associated with hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. Objective. To evaluate the role of vitamin D in predicting hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. Subjects and Methods. One hundred and fifty patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for benign or malignant thyroid disease were included in this prospective study. The association between preoperative vitamin D status and the development of hypocalcemia were investigated. Results. Biochemical and symptomatic hypocalcemia were found in 28 (18.7%) and 22 (14.7%) patients, respectively. Preoperative vit D level was found significantly lower in patients with biochemical (p = 0.006) and clinical (p < 0.001) hypocalcemia in comparison to normocalcemic patients. The patients who had <10 ng/mL vit D level (severe deficiency) developed significantly more biochemical and clinical hypocalcemia than the patients with serum vit D level higher than 10 ng/mL (p = 0.030 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions. Although postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia is multifactorial, vit D deficiency, particularly severe form, is significantly associated with the development of biochemical and clinical hypocalcemia. Vit D supplementation can prevent this unwanted complication in such patients.

Keywords: Postoperative hypocalcemia, total thyroidectomy, vitamin D deficiency

Correspondence: Murat Özgür Kiliç, MD, Numune Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Talatpasa bulvari no: 59, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey, E-mail: murat05ozgur@hotmail.com