Ulcer disease, metabolic alkalosis and hyperparathyroidism: A mechanism of interrelationship?

In both normal volunteers and in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, the induction of a metabolic alkalosis by infusion of sodium bicarbonate results in a decrease in serum calcium ion and in an increase of circulating parathyroid hormone concentrations. Bicarbonate infusion may serve in man as a new provocative test for release of parathyroid hormone. Furthermore, we speculate that the metabolic alkalosis which is found at times in patients with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and severe peptic ulcer disease may result in parathyroid gland stimulation.