Background: Hypocalcemia is a
well-recognized complication after total thyroidectomy. Hypovitaminosis D may
have additional effect in the development of hypocalcemia. This study aimed to
determine the effect of total thyroidectomy on postoperative serum calcium in
patients with and without hypovitaminosis D.
Methods: This prospective
study was performed on patients who underwent total thyroidectomy from 2011 to
2014 in Imam Khomeini General Hospital of Mazandaran University of Medical
Sciences. Serum calcium and vitamin D values were recorded before and after
surgery. The patients were classified according to serum vitamin D concentrations
as less 10 ng/ml (vitamin D deficiency) or higher (control group). The mean
values of postoperative calcium level for each class of serum vitamin D were
determined and compared. Hypocalcemia was defined as a postoperative calcium
level <8 mg/dl.
Results: 125 patients due
to thyroid disease underwent total thyroidectomy. The incidence of symptomatic
and asymptomatic hypocalcemia after surgery was 12% (n=15) and 3.2% (n=4)
respectively. 82 (65.6%) patients had vitamin D deficiency and 43 (34.4%) patients
had sufficient vitamin D level. There was not any significant difference in
calcium level (8.67±0.58 mg/dl vs. 8.70±0.59 mg/dl) between two vitamin D
studied groups after thyroid surgery (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of this study
indicated that vitamin D deficiency had no significant effect on
post-thyroidectomy serum calcium level.
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