Calcitriol plus hydrochlorothiazide prevents transient post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia

Background: The aim Of Our double-blinded randomized prospective placebo-controlled study was to test if a week long pretreatment with hypercalcemic drugs may prevent transient postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia and reduce hospital stay. Methods: Forty-two patients undergoing total thyroidectomy were randomized into two groups. Group 1: 22 patients treated with calcitriol 1.5 mcg/die plus hydrochlorothiazide; Group 2: 20 patients only treated with placebo (mineral integrates) as control group. Calcium and PTHi serum levels were assayed baseline and the days before and after thyroidectomy. Results: Baseline calcium and PTHi did not differ between the two groups. Presurgery calcemia significantly increased in group I (p < 0.05) while PTHi significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Post-surgery calcemia and PTHi further significantly decreased in both groups, hypocalcemia (< 2.10 mmol/l) occurring in 1 out of 22 patients in group 1 without symptoms and in 10 out of 20 in controls (20% developing symptoms) (p < 0.04). The hospital stay resulted significantly shorter in group 1 (2.4 +/- 0.6 days) in respect to the control group (3.6 +/- 1.4 days, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The administration of calcitriol plus hydrochlorothiazide is able to prevent transient post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia and to reduce hospital stay.