Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has varied clinical presentations. Hematologic abnormalities secondary to PHPT have been described before. However, pancytopenia as the initial presentation has rarely been reported. We report a patient with PHPT who presented for evaluation of pancytopenia.

METHODS: Histopathology of the bone marrow at presentation is described. Bone biochemistry results and the hematologic profile before and after curative parathyroidectomy are presented.

RESULTS: A 48-year-old woman presented with pancytopenia (hemoglobin, 6.3 g/dL; total leucocyte count, 3000 cells/mm; and platelet count, 60 000 cells/mm), and her bone marrow study showed marrow fibrosis. Biochemical evaluation revealed hypercalcemia (15.5 mg/dL), hypophosphatemia (2.2 mg/dL), and elevated total alkaline phosphatase (4132 U/L). Bone mineral density assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan revealed osteoporosis at all 3 sites, which was more severe in the distal one third of the forearm. Further investigations confirmed the diagnosis of PHPT (serum parathyroid hormone, 2082 pg/mL). Following curative parathyroidectomy, in addition to normalization of calcium, there was restoration of all 3 hematologic cell lines at 3 months.

CONCLUSION: Pancytopenia may be a rare manifestation of PHPT. Thus, it may be prudent to evaluate the calcium profile in patients with chronic refractory anemia and pancytopenia.