First Medical University of Moscow

We are visiting the main clinical hospital of the First Moscow State Medical University.  Our host today is Valentin Fadeyev, head of the Dept of Endocrinology. The Endocrine Research Center is affiliated with First Medical Univ, and residents rotate at both institutions.

Today I gave a 90 minute lecture on the diagnosis and management of primary hyperparathyroidism in the US to residents, attendings, and medical students. Although most of the audience understood English, one of the Endocrinologists provided simultaneous translation. 

The audience was surprised to hear that calcium is part of the routine chemistry panel in the US. In Russia patients are usually diagnosed with PHPT only when symptomatic for this reason.  There continues to be much interest in parathyroid localization studies.  Despite the costs, it sounds like cinacalcet is used for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism in Russia. Patients bear the financial burden for this medication.