Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is associated with neurological damage, which tends to improve after parathyroidectomy (PTX). Oxidative stress might play a role in these pathological changes. This study aimed to investigate oxidative stress and neuronal damage markers following PTX in patients with PHPT.
Methods: The study involved 36 patients with PHPT who underwent surgical treatment. Markers for oxidative stress, including serum total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidative status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) and cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol (C-triol) as oxysterols and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), were measured, along with neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a marker for neuronal damage. These markers were assessed before and six months after PTX.
Results: Following PTX, a significant reduction in OSI was observed (p = 0.020), while TAS, TOS, oxysterol, 8-iso-PGF2α, and NfL levels remained unchanged. There was no correlation between baseline serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels with baseline oxidative stress markers or NfL levels. However, baseline TAS levels showed a correlation with baseline NfL levels (r = -0.370), which was not present after surgery.
Conclusions: These findings suggest oxidative stress is elevated in patients with PHPT and may contribute to neurological complications. Post surgery, oxidative stress levels decrease, as reflected by a significant reduction in OSI; whether this translates into better central nervous system outcomes warrants confirmation in future studies.
Keywords: neurofilament proteins; neuronal damage; oxidative stress; parathyroidectomy; primary hyperparathyroidism.
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