[The study of an animal model in rabbits with the early primary hyperparathyroidism].

Objective: to study the biochemistry of blood and feature of pathology of an animal model in rabbits with the early primary hyperparathyroidism(PHPT).

Methods: 60 rabbits were divided into six groups of 10 each and fed a control diet (Ca:P, 1:0.7) or a high-phosphate diet (Ca:P, 1:7) for 1-, 2- or 3-month intervals. Compared with the control animals, serum PTH levels, serum calcium levels and serum phosphorus levels were determined. The parathyroid and kidneys of all animals were performed by the histologic examination.

Results: compared with the control animals, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were elevated at 1-, 2-, 3-month intervals in experimental group (t = -7.665, t = -16.033, t = 12.877 respective, P < 0.05), whereas serum calcium levels were decreased at all three time intervals (t = 6.184, t = 9.329, t = 13.842, respective, P < 0.05), but serum phosphorus levels did not change (t = 0.611, t = 1.041, t = 1.941, respective, P > 0.05). Parathyroid histopathologic studies demonstrated no change at 1 month whereas six of ten experimental animals showed mild hyperplasia at 2 months and nine of ten showed mild to moderate hyperplasia with gland enlargement at 3 months compared with control animals. Histopathologic examination of the kidneys showed no change at 1 month but focal parenchymal inflammation with calcium deposition at 2- and 3-month in the experimental groups.

Conclusion: the high-phosphate diet successfully induced an animal model in rabbits with the early primary hyperparathyroidism, which has a better stability and reproducibility.