Increased parathyroid hormone secretion and hypocalcemia in experimental pancreatitis: necessity for an intact thyroid gland.

Elevated concentrations of serum parathyroid hormone and hypocalcemia occur following the induction of experimental pancreatitis in the pig, but only when the thyroid gland is present. Prior thyroidectomy completely eliminates these changes. Serum magnesium concentrations remained normal throughout the experiments despite the occurrence of hypocalcemia. These data support the hypothesis that calcitonin or another thyroid-related substance plays a role in the mechanism of the hypocalcemia which accompanies experimental pancreatitis in the pig.