Routine parathyroid hormone testing as part of the secondary osteoporosis screen in an ortho-geriatric population

We found that excessive PTH testing was prevalent in a single hospital in metropolitan Victoria. We propose that PTH levels not be done routinely as part of the secondary osteoporosis screen, particularly in ortho-geriatric patients with normal serum calcium levels, as it is unlikely to change management. We acknowledge normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism as a separate entity with risk of progression to PHPT, however the clinical significance of this entity remains unclear.