Hypocitricemic Effects of Calcitonin, Parathyroidectomy and Surgical Stress[*]

Abstract

Various factors associated with experimental parathyroidectomy (PTX) by cautery technique result in hypocitricemic responses. The conditions of surgical stress result in a decrease in plasma citrate and plasma calcium within two hours. Cautery of the thyroid gland which releases calcitonin produces a marked hypocitricemic response within two hours which follows the hypocalcemia. Corroboration of this effect was obtained by the hypocitricemic effect of injected calcitonin. Within five hours PTX results in a decrease in plasma citrate which can be distinguished from the calcitonin effect. Calcitonin is able to decrease the plasma citrate level of animals made hypocitricemic by PTX. The studies reveal that various conditions can result in early hypocitricemic responses which can be mistaken for or can mask the effect of the hypoparathyroid state of the animal. The results also demonstrate that calcitonin is antagonistic to parathyroid hormone in its effect on plasma citrate as well as calcium.

Key words

Citrate - Calcitonin - Parathyroidectomy - Surgical Stress - Calcium

1 This Research was supported by U.S.P.H.S. Research Grant No. AM 12187187

1 This Research was supported by U.S.P.H.S. Research Grant No. AM 12187187