[Evoked hypercalcemia test and the pentagastrin test in assessing the functional state of the parafollicular apparatus of the thyroid in hyper- and hypothyroidism].

Calcium gluconate test (Ca ++ 10 mg/kg) was carried, for three hours, in 28 patients with thyrotoxicosis, 6--with hypothyroidism and 8 healthy subjects. Pentagastrin (Peptavlon)--2 microgram/kg/h was applied in 25 patients with thyrotoxicosis, 7 with hypothyroidism and 11 healthy subjects. A slowed down calcemia normalization was observed after calcium gluconate infusion in case of thyrotoxicosis and especially in hypothyroidism. Calcemia in the thyrotoxicosis, with pentagastrin test, is more decreased in thyrotoxicosis as compared with the healthy subjects, whereas in hypothyroidism the decrease is less or absent. In hypothyroidism, a deteriorated function of the parafollicular apparatus is thought to be involved, or a lack of sensitivity of the target cells of that hormone. Final conclusions are difficult to be drawn in hyperthyroidism because several explanations of the two positive test are possible.