Epidemiology

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare disorder. It occurs after surgery for thyroid disorders, primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism, and laryngeal malignancies. The estimated number of thyroid surgeries performed in the US is >100,000 per year.[2] Of these surgeries, approximately 7.6% lead to either transient (75%) or permanent (25%) hypoparathyroidism. There are approximately 8900 new cases of hypoparathyroidism in the US annually.[3] 

The rate of postoperative hypoparathyroidism across different centers varies substantially based on the extent of surgery, indication for surgery (cancer, Graves disease), and experience of the surgeon.[4] Patients with the disease are, on average, in the fourth or fifth decades of life, and the majority are women.

In adults, about 75% of cases of hypoparathyroidism are postsurgical.[1]​ The remainder are of autoimmune, genetic, or rare secondary etiologies (e.g., infiltrative diseases).​

Estimates of prevalence of hypoparathyroidism from international studies range from 6 to 37 per 100,000 individuals; incidence is reported to be 0.8 to 2.3 per 100,000 individuals per year.[5]​ In Denmark, the prevalence of nonsurgical hypoparathyroidism is 2.3 per 100,000 individuals.[6]

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