Pseudohypoparathyroidism with Decreased Glucose Tolerance: Report of a Case*

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Abstract
CASES of pseudohypoparathyroidism are rare. Albright and associates (1) first reported 3 cases from the Massachusetts General Hospital and 6 additional cases have been reported since then (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Albright states that pseudohypoparathyroidism has essentially the same symptomatology, chemical findings, and physical signs as hypoparathyroidism; however, the cause of the disturbance is not a lack of parathyroid hormone but an inability to respond to it. The syndrome has, in addition, certain developmental abnormalities which serve to delineate it from true hypoparathyroidism. Biopsies of the parathyroids have been performed in some of the cases, and these revealed normal cytologic structure. All reported cases have shown a certain characteristic physical appearance with a short stature (Fig. 1), and shortening of the long bones in relation to the trunk. The hands are usually short, stubby and fat with short rounded fingers. According to Albright and associates, the cause of the brachydactylia is early closure of the epiphyses. The face is round and the neck is thick.

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