Serum Calcium to Phosphorous (Ca/P) Ratio Is a Simple, Inexpensive, and Accurate Tool in the Diagnosis of Primary Hyperparathyroidism

ABSTRACT

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) diagnosis is challenging and is based on serum calcium (Ca) and parathyroid hormone (PTH). Because serum Ca and phosphorous (P) are inversely related in PHPT, we investigated the diagnostic value of the serum Ca/P ratio in the diagnosis of PHPT. We report a single‐center, case‐controlled, retrospective study including 97 patients with documented PHPT and compared them with those of 96 controls (C). The main outcome measures were: serum PTH, 25‐OH vitamin D, Ca, P, albumin, and creatinine. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the serum Ca/P ratio were calculated. The results were verified using an independent, anonymous set of data extracted from a laboratory database containing over 900 million entries. A total of 35 (36.1%) PHPT patients had normocalcemic PHPT (NCHPT). Ca and PTH were significantly higher in PHPT than in C ( p < 0.0001). P was significantly lower in PHPT than in C ( p < 0.0001). The Ca/P ratio was significantly higher in PHPT than in C ( p < 0.0001). Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses identified a cutoff of 2.71 (3.5 if Ca and P are expressed in mg/dL) for Ca/P ratio with a sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 87%, respectively ( p < 0.0001), confirmed by the independent, big data approach. In conclusion, Ca/P is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of PHPT and is of superior value compared to serum Ca alone, especially in NCPHT. Because Ca/P is simple, inexpensive, and easily accessible worldwide, this ratio is useful for PHPT diagnosis, especially in laboratory/medical settings relying on limited resources, such as low‐income countries. © 2017 The Authors. JBMR Plus is published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.