Objective: Hypoparathyroidism is a rare disorder characterized by hypocalcemia and absent or deficient PTH. This report presents a summary of current information about epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, clinical features, and management and proposes guidelines to help clinicians diagnose, evaluate, and manage this disorder.
Participants: Participants in the First International Conference on the Management of Hypoparathyroidism represented a worldwide constituency with acknowledged interest and expertise in key basic, translational, and clinical aspects of hypoparathyroidism. Three Workshop Panels were constituted to address questions for presentation and discussion at the Conference held in Florence, Italy, May 7-9, 2015. At that time, a series of presentations were made, followed by in-depth discussions in an open forum. Each Workshop Panel also met in closed sessions to formulate the three evidence-based reports that accompany this summary statement. An Expert Panel then considered this information, developed summaries, guidelines, and a research agenda that constitutes this summary statement.
Evidence: Preceding the conference, each Workshop Panel conducted an extensive literature search as noted in the individual manuscripts accompanying this report. All presentations were based upon the best peer-reviewed information taking into account the historical and current literature.
Consensus process: This report represents the Expert Panel's synthesis of the conference material placed in a context designed to be relevant to clinicians and those engaged in cutting-edge studies of hypoparathyroidism.
Conclusions: This document not only provides a summary of our current knowledge but also places recent advances in its management into a context that should enhance future advances in our understanding of hypoparathyroidism.