Lončar I, Noltes ME, Dickhoff C, et al. - Risk of persistent hypoparathyroidism following total or completion thyroidectomy was identified to be 15% in patients who were referred to university hospital centers. In view of a high rate of persistent hypoparathyroidism, efforts to attenuate this complication rate are needed.

• This retrospective multicenter cohort study in 7 Dutch university hospital centers involved 200 patients who were receiving a total or completion thyroidectomy.

• The incidence of persistent hypoparathyroidism, defined as the requirement for active vitamin D with or without calcium supplementation longer than 1 year post-surgery, was reported.

• Of 200 patients (143 women [71.5%]; mean [IQR] age, 49.0 [37.0-62.0] years) included, persistent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 30 patients (15.0%).

• Based on the definition employed, persistent hypoparathyroidism incidence varied between 14.5% (calcium and active vitamin D 1 year after surgery) to 28.5% (calcium and/or active vitamin D 6 months after surgery).

• Employment of uniform evidence-based treatment guidelines could allow comparison of interventions.