Hypocalcemia and Parathyroid Hormone in Pancreatitis

Excerpt

To the editor: In the August issue (Ann Intern Med 83:185-189, 1975), Weir and associates reported studies on 11 patients with acute pancreatitis; 8 patients had decreased serum ionized calcium, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations were elevated in 6 and undetectable in 5. They state, "the data obtained from our study indicate that hypocalcemia in acute pancreatitis is not the result of abnormalities of secretion of gastrin, glucagon, or parathyroid hormone."

Their conclusion regarding PTH seems to be based upon the demonstration of significant correlation (r = 0.487 and P < 0.025) between ionized calcium (Ca⁺⁺) and PTH and assuming