Correlation of pre-operative vitamin D3 levels with post-operative hypocalcemia in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy

Authors

  • Mallikarjuna M. N. Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
  • Arun Kumar Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
  • Ramya M. V. Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
  • Santhosh C. S. Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20195957

Keywords:

Postoperative hypocalcemia, Serum vitamin D3, Total thyroidectomy

Abstract

Background: Total thyroidectomy (TT) is a commonly performed procedure for various  thyroid disorders, with parathyroid insufficiency manifesting as hypocalcaemia being a well-known complication. Albeit, vitamin D is well implicated in calcium homeostasis, the association between hypovitaminosis D and postoperative hypocalcaemia is yet to be concluded. The aim of our study is to evaluate the correlation of preoperative serum vitamin D3 levels  with occurrence of post-operative hypocalcemia in patients undergoing TT.

Methods: A prospective  study  was conducted on 50 patients  undergoing TT for benign thyroid diseases from November 2016 to May 2018. Pre-operative vitamin D3 levels were estimated. Serum calcium levels was measured pre‑ and post‑operatively at 24hours, 1st week and 4th week. Serum calcium level ≤8.5 mg/dl was considered as biochemical hypocalcemia. A data of demographic, clinical, biochemical and intraoperative findings were documented and analysed.

Results: Statically 14 (28%) patients developed symptomatic hypocalcemia. Out of these, 11 (78.5%) patients had preoperative vitamin D levels of <30 ng/dl (p=0.034). 24 hours postoperative serum calcium level was significantly  lesser in patients with  lower preoperative vitamin D levels (p=0.015), suggesting that postoperative  hypocalcemia (24 hr) is statistically related to pre-operative vitamin D3 levels.

Conclusions: It could be concluded from our study that preoperative serum vitamin D3 levels can predict post-operative occurrence of symptomatic and/or biochemical hypocalcemia. Thus, it could be hypothesized that supplementing vitamin D preoperatively could curb the incidence of hypocalcaemia following TT. However, further relevant trials are needed to attest to this.

 

Author Biographies

Mallikarjuna M. N., Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Assistant Professor,

Department of General Surgery

 

Arun Kumar, Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Resident

Department of General Surgery

Ramya M. V., Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Resident

Department of General Surgery

Santhosh C. S., Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Assistant Professor

Department of General Surgery

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Published

2019-12-26

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Original Research Articles