Basal serum and urinary biochemical parameters and their response to PTH or calcium infusion were examined in 14 untreated patients with familial hypophosphatemic rickets (FHR) from 5 kindreds and 9 normal control subjects after a period of dietary equilibration. FHR subjects exhibited significantly elevated basal serum iPTH levels (FHR: 11.4 ± 0.8, controls: 5.1 ± 0.5 ng/ml, P < 0.001) and urinary cAMP excretion (FHR: 7.83 ± 0.8.1, controls: 3.78 ± 0.46 nmol/mg creatinine P < 0.001). In response to PTH infusion (6 units/kg over 4 hours) FHR subjects exhibited a mean 34% decrease in TRP and a 22-fold increase in cAMP excretion, both comparable to the control response. Calcium infusion (10 mg/kg over 1 h) rapidly suppressed serum iPTH and urinary cAMP values in FHR subjects. However, TRP remained inappropriately low for the level of serum phosphate. Basal and post-calcium infusion serum iPTH levels correlated positively with urinary cAMP in FHR subjects and controls. Pre- and post-calcium infusion iPTH levels correlated with serum calcium in FHR subjects. Mean salivary phosphate concentration was significantly reduced in FHR subjects (FHR: 12.68± 0.87, controls: 22.47 ± 2.16 mg/100 ml, P < 0.001). However, calculated salivary phosphate clearance rates were similar in FHR and control subjects. PTH or calcium infusion did not significantly alter salivary phosphate concentration or clearance rates in either patients or controls. We concluded that untreated FHR patients exhibit a state of mild secondary hyperparathyroidism and an at least normal renal phosphaturic response to PTH. In addition, there is no evidence for increased salivary phosphate excretion in FHR.