Retrospective study estimates hypoparathyroidism frequency in UAE, indicating unique characteristics and treatment gaps.
Background Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare but clinically significant endocrine disorder with an unknown prevalence and complication burden in our region. Objective This study aims to estimate the frequency of chronic hypoparathyroidism, its characteristics, and evaluate the current clinical practice of chronic postsurgical and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism in patients attending Dubai Hospital, UAE. It assesses biochemical profiles, physician monitoring practices, and their adherence to established guidelines. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted by reviewing medical records of all eligible patients. Results A total of 65 patients with a mean age of 47.02 years were included, mostly female (76.9%) and diagnosed with postsurgical HypoPT (81.5%). Regular monitoring included calcium and vitamin D, but phosphate and creatinine were monitored less frequently. Patients were commonly prescribed high doses of calcium (median 2400 mg), with idiopathic cases requiring higher doses (mean 4200 mg).Monitoring for course and complications revealed that 55.4% of patients underwent renal imaging, 27.7% had brain imaging, 75.4% received ECG assessments, 35.4% had echocardiography and 44.6% had documented ophthalmologic evaluations. Conclusion This study provides the first epidemiological and demographic assessment of HypoPT in UAE, highlighting both similarities and differences in frequency, revealing unique patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and monitoring practices. Compared to global trends, UAE patients demonstrated a higher calcium requirement and distinctive demographic patterns, including a younger mean age and a male predominance in idiopathic cases. Despite regular calcium and vitamin D monitoring, the study highlights suboptimal biochemical surveillance and complication screening, underscoring the need for improved adherence to clinical guidelines.
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Rashid et al. (2026) studied this question.
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