Hyperparathyroidism and pancreatitis. Chance or a causal association?

Of 1,153 patients with surgically confirmed primary hyperparathyroidism operated on at the Mayo Clinic between 1950 and 1975, only 17 (1.5%) had coexisting or prior pancreatitis. This frequency of association approximates the reported incidence of pancreatitis among general hospital patient populations. Other factors of possible etiologic significance in pancreatitis, such as gallstones or alcohol abuse, were present in 11 of the 17 patients. Cure of the hyperparathyroidism was usually not associated with amelioration of symptoms due to pancreatitis. A review of the available data, including experimental evidence, does not support a cause-and-effect relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism or hypercalcemia and pancreatitis.