Studies were performed in 60 patients with proven primary hyperparathyroidism pre-operatively and in 54 of these patients post-operatively, 22 patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism and 34 normal subjects. Urinary and nephrogenous cyclic AMP excretion were increased in the hyperparathyroid patients with an overlap of values with the normal group of 10 and 9%, respectively. Values fell in all patients post-operatively, and were decreased in those with permanent hypoparathyroidism. TmPO4 /GFR was decreased in the preoperative hyperparathyroid patients and rose postoperatively while it was increased in the hypoparathyroid patients with an overlap of values with the normal group of 9%. Post-operative hypocalcaemia due to bone hunger was associated with continuing normo- or hypophosphataemia and urinary cyclic AMP that exceeded 4.5 nM/dl GF while those who developed permanent hypoparathyroidism had hyperphosphataemia, increased TmPO4 /GFR and urinary cyclic AMP that was less than 3.5 nM/dl GF. Urinary and nephrogenous cyclic AMP were equally effective in characterizing patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and less effective in distinguishing patients with hypoparathyroidism from normal while TmPO4 /GFR estimates were more effective in delineating the hypoparathyroid state.