Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: We aimed to test the hypothesis that the minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) affords comparable safety and efficacy as to the open conventional surgery in patients with unilateral thyroid nodules or follicular lesions in terms of cosmetic results, intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative pain, and hospital stay.Methods: This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial comparing the MIVAT with conventiona...

Background: Patients undergoing thyroid surgery are consented for a 1% risk of permanent hypocalcaemia and voice changes. These complications are considered to be permanent if they persist for more than 6 months. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of complications in patients undergoing thyroid surgery in our hospital.Methods: From January 1999 to March 2009, all patients who underwent thyroid surgery under the care of one surgeon were i...

Background: Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for both benign and malignant thyroid disease. Permanent hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury are the two most commonly occurring complications post thyroid surgery. The aim of this study is to determine the risk factors for developing post-operative complications.Methods: From January 1999 to March 2009, all patients who underwent thyroid surgery under the care of one surgeon were ...

Objective: Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)-imaging is a novel ultrasound-based elastography method enabling quantitative measurement of tissue stiffness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of ARFI-measurements in the thyroid tissue.Materials and methods: ARFI-imaging involves the mechanical excitation of tissue using short-duration acoustic pulses to generate localized displacements in tissue. The displacements result in...

Introduction: Subclinical hyperthyroidism (SH) affects about 1% of world human population at least. The diagnosis of this disease leans on the laboratory criteria only: decreased of TSH and normal FT3 and FT4 concentrations. SH increases mortality mostly due to cardiovascular diseases including overload of the heart and ventricular arrhythmia. These symptoms are anticipated by increasing of left ventricular walls thickness and its mass index.<p class=...

Objective: To study the efficacy of lithium and perchlorate in special cases of hyperthyroidism: thioamide-resistant or iodine-induced thyroxicosis/thyrotoxic pre-crisis, hematological adverse effects of methimazole, leukopenia of other causes.Material and methods: Twenty-seven hyperthyroid patients received lithium carbonate and/or potassium perchlorate, majority after methimazole-therapy (associated with folic acid in leukopenia). We followed the clini...

The value of patient-reported outcomes in treatment efficacy assessment of thyroid disorders is of great importance. Recently, a new tool, Comprehensive Symptom Profile (CSP-ThSF22), has been developed to assess symptoms specific for patients with nontoxic goiters. We aimed to test practicability and sensitivity of CSP-ThSF22 in patients with euthyroid goiter undergoing thyroidectomy. A total of 78 patients with uninodular/multinodular euthyroid goiter were enrolled in this st...

Objective: To evaluate the effect of selenium on autoimmune thyroid diseases through ATPO-titers.Material and methods: Selenium (0.1–0.2 mg/day) was associated to basic treatment of thyroid dysfunctions in 21 female patients with high ATPO-levels (normal<34 U/ml). We followed the thyroid function and ATPO-values usually after 2–6 months of selenium administration.Results: Ten hypo-thyroid patients had Hashimoto’s...

The value of patient-reported outcomes in treatment efficacy assessment of thyroid disorders is of great importance. Recently, a new tool, Comprehensive Symptom Profile (CSP-ThHyperSF27), has been developed to assess symptoms specific for patients with toxic goiters. We aimed to test practicability and sensitivity of CSP-ThHyperSF27 in patients with diffuse/ multinodular toxic goiter undergoing thyroidectomy. A total of 42 patients with diffuse/multinodular toxic goiter were e...

Introduction: Riedel’s thyroiditis (RT) is a rare and chronic fibro-inflammatory disease firstly described by Riedel in 1896. It is characterized by a dense fibrosis that replaces normal thyroid parenchyma. The fibrotic process invades adjacent structures of the neck and extends beyond the thyroid capsule, which differentiates RT from other inflammatory or fibrotic disorders of the thyroid. The overall incidence in outpatients is 1.06 per 100 000. We presented here a case...

TSH receptor (TSHR) is a G-protein-coupled seven-transmembrane domain receptor located in the basolateral membrane of thyroid follicular cells. The activated receptor couples to two major signal transductions pathways: the Gs/adenylate cyclase and the Gq/11/phospholipase C signalling. Many loss of function mutations have been identified in this gene leading to a wide spectrum of thyroid abnormalities, ranging from hyperthyrotropinemia and TSH resistance to severe hypothyroidis...

Study: Retrospective, cohort.Material and methods: A. Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) diagnosis: i) antithyroperoxydase antibodies (ATPO) criteria; cut-off >34 IU/ml. ii) If ATPO=normal (N), HT was considered only antithyroglobuline antibodies (ATG) were >50 IU/ml (↑) and ultrasound was pattern 1 (pseudonodular, intense hypoechogenic, inhomogeneous – Peretianu, Endocrine Abstracts, 2007, 14, P340; 2008, 16, P772; 2009, 20, P79).<p class...

Premises: Numerous recent medical journals and communications insist on the high prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) associated with breast cancer in women (see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ key words: breast cancer, thyroiditis, #91).Objective: We proposed to present data from our casuistry related to HT (over 2000 patients and control, including men), observed during last 10 years.Mat...

The aim of this study was to define the occurrence of hypothyroidism and its impact on CHF progression. Four hundred and twenty-two consecutive outpatients (326 males, aged 65±12 years) with CHF in stable condition and conventional therapy were evaluated. Thyroid status was checked at least every 4 months. The progression of heart failure was defined as death, urgent heart transplantation, or hospitalisation due to worsening HF.<img src="/ea/0026/ima...

Changes in serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations occur frequently in disorders of thyroid function. LDL-C oxidation susceptibility is higher in these patients than in normal population. This study aims at assessing lipids, lipoproteins, lipid oxidations and serum paraoxonase activity in patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism. Forty patients were compared with an age and sex matched control group. A fasting blood sample was obtained and serum total cholesterol, triglyce...

Introduction: The clinical significance of subclinical thyroid diseases is debated.Design: To assess the relationship between undiagnosed subclinical hypothyroidism (USH), health indicators (HI) and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), this cross-sectional study was conducted in 1100 adults representatives of non-institutionalized Catalan population (44.5% men; mean age: 44.8±15.2 years) in Catalonia (Spain); 40 USH (18 men) and 1060 euthyroid (474 m...

Objectives: Recent Germany-wide studies have shown that urinary iodide excretion in schoolchildren as well as in adults meet WHO targets. No current results for pregnant women in Germany are available.Methods: We investigated urinary iodide excretion in 1003 pregnant women on the day of childbirth in the greater Rostock area. Iodide was measured by cerarsenite method modified by Lorenz. Domestic use of iodized table salt and intake of iodine supplement t...

Introduction: Human tear is rich in cytokines, i.e. in healthy individuals it exhibits a higher ratio of cytokines to total proteins than that in the serum of the same individual. EOP related to Graves–Basedow disease is thought to develop due to elevation of serum cytokine levels and to an altered cytokine response of the intra- and periorbital tissues. In our present study we focused on the measurement of IL6, IL8 and TNF-α, the relative amount of a lipocalin-type ...

Introduction: Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to clinical manifestation of Graves’ disease including the response to medical therapy. CTLA-4 gene is an important inhibitor of T-cell activation and its polymorphisms may influence the course of the disease.Goal: We investigated the association between CTLA−4 gene polymorphisms: c.49A>G, g.319C>T, g.*642AT(8_33), CT60, and Jo31 and the response to ph...

Objectives: Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy presents a challenge for medical doctor, patient and products of conception.Aim of the study: To specify the peculiarities of expression of hyperthyroidism in pregnant women, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, prognosis of pregnancy and effect on the fetus.Materials and methods: The study included a total of 27 women with hyperthyroidism of which 15 (group A) had thyrotoxicosis before concept...

Objective: Although subclinical thyroid dysfunction is associated with cardiac endpoints such as endothelial dysfunction, left ventricular hypertrophy, thickened artery walls or atrial fibrillation, it is currently under debate whether subclinical hyper- or hypothyroidism as well as thyroid function within the reference range are associated with an increased risk of hypertension. So far no study investigated the association between thyroid function and blood pressure in childr...

Introduction: Interferon-α (IFN-α) exerts different immune effects and is used in current therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. One of the side-effects of IFN-α therapy is interferon-induced thyroiditis (IIT). The role of lymphocyte subpopulations in IIT remains to be defined.Objective: This study was conducted to assess different peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, mainly regulatory CD4+CD25+...

Introduction: There were some studies on the relation between subclinical hypothyroidism and arteriosclerosis, but few studies between thyroid function and diabetic microangiopathy. This study was aimed at investigating the influence of subclinical hypothyroidism on diabetic complications in Japanese population.Description of methods/design: We retrospectively surveyed a total of 106 type 2 diabetic patients with regard to thyroid function and microvascu...

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of melatonin in patients with hypothyroidism.Materials and methods: In study were taken 51 patients from 25 to 63 years to manifest hypothyroidism (on a background of autoimmune thyroiditis), with anxiety-depressive syndrome and sleep disturbance. Thyroid hormones were determined by ELISA (Vector-Best Russia) Anxiety-depressive syndrome in patients with hypothyroidism were analyzed on hospit...

Objective: Platelet activation and aggregation play major role in the pathophysiology of atherothrombosis. Mean platelet volume (MPV), a determinant of platelet function, is a newly emerging risk factor for atherosclerosis. The present study was designed to evaluate levels of MPV before and after the levothyroxine (L-T4) treatment in patients with overt hypothyroidism.Materials and methods: The study included 30 Hashimoto’s...

Introduction: Iodine deficiency disorders are considered as the most wide spread non infectious diseases of the humanity. Uzbekistan is in the zone of the severe iodine deficiency (ID). According to epidemiologic studies performed in 1998 endemic goiter (EG) prevalence was 80% whereas urinary iodine was <10 μg/l. In May, 2007 Uzbek government legislated the Salt Iodization Law and in 2009 ID evaluation was performed in the Uzbekistan using sentinel approach.<p cla...

Background: Thyroid disorders are prevalent in western society, yet many subjects experience limited symptoms at diagnosis, especially in hypothyroidism.Design: In order to compare the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) of subjects with suppressed TSH-levels (TSH<0.5 mU/l) or elevated TSH-levels (TSH>10 mU/l) to subjects with normal TSH-levels (TSH 0.5–4 mU/l), a cross-sectional study was performed within the Dutch adult population who ...

It has been claimed that an increased level of thyroid autoantibodies in serum is associated with a higher risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). We explored whether this risk was mediated by subclinical hypothyroidism and hypercholesterolemia. We evaluated 945 consecutive hospital patients (mean age 59 years) according to strict electrocardiographic and clinical criteria for the presence of CHD. Serum cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol and sensitive TSH were measured in all...

Introduction: Faster decline in serum thyroid hormone levels in hyperthyroidism is seen adding cholestyramine at conventional treatment in some studies (1.2).Design/methods: Retrospective controlled study. Follow-up: ±3 weeks.Patients with hyperthyroidism: 17 treated with antithyroid drugs (mean dose 35 mg/day) combined with cholestyramine (mean dose 12 g/day).Control group: 23 only treated with antithyr...

Introduction: The ectopic thymus tissue (ETT) represents a migration and descending deficiency of the organ during embryogenesis.HMWK have a strong positive reaction in normal anatomical localized thymus and thymomas. A similar reaction pattern is seen in thyroid solid cell nests (SCNs) suggesting that these cells share a common origin with thymic tissue. Moreover, can be very helpful in differentiate CASTLE from other thyroid tumors.<p class="abstex...

Introduction: Parathyroid cyst is a very rare abnormality, representing 0.6% of all thyroid and parathyroid lesions. The diagnosis can be made on the basis of sonography and analysis of aspirated cystic fluid for parathyroid hormone. Parathyroid cysts are divided in two groups: functional (associated with clinical hyperparathyroidism) and non-functional. In the case of non-functional parathyroid cysts, fine needle aspiration is the elective treatment, but for functional parath...

Aim: The aim of the study was to present some epidemiological data about Graves’ ophthalmopathy in a tertiary centre.Material and method: The retrospective study included 98 patients with Graves’ disease associated with infiltrative ophthalmopathy, evaluated in our Department of Endocrinology in the period 2008–July 2010.The mean age of the group was 45.2±12.4 years, with a female/male ratio=84/14.<p class="...

Introduction: Thyroid nodules in children and adolescents are less prevalent, but entail greater risk of malignancy than in adults. Most are asymptomatic because they are associated with normal thyroid function, but their prevalence is increasing due to the incidental diagnosis by neck ultrasound.Aims: To evaluate the characteristics of a pediatric population with thyroid nodules submitted to fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy.Met...

Aim: To show the etiology of thyromegaly in our region to asses the rationale treatment and follow up.Material and methods: Between 2005 and 2010, we have studied the prevalence and etiologic profile of the children with thyromegaly admitted in the Endocrinology Department of our hospital. The working protocol included: weight and length birth, gestational age, auxological parameters and pubertal stages after Tanner’s criteria, morphogram, laborator...

Introduction: To evaluate if improved thyroid status in patients with hypopituitarism would improve cardiovascular risk markers.Patients and methods: A total of 85 hypopituitary patients (45 women) with GH deficiency; 7 had isolated GH deficiency, 25, 16 and 22 patients had 1, 2 and 3 additional deficits respectively. Fifteen patients had panhypopituitarism. Biochemical and body composition assessment was performed at baseline (when patients were GH na&#...

Aim: Thyroid pyramidal lobe and thyroglossal duct cysts were reported to be associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer. In this study, we aimed to evaluate ultrasonography (US) guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cytology results of pyramidal lobe and thyroglossal duct cysts.Material and methods: Patients with pyramidal lobe and thyroglossal duct cysts detected in US were included. Thyroid functions, thyroid autoantibodies, Tc 99m thyroid s...

We treated 4150 patients, aged 30–70 years; 1950 patient with toxic multinodular goitre (TMNG), and 2200 patient with autonomous toxic nodule (ATN). Qualification of these patients was based on high levels of serum fT3 and fT4, low levels of serum TSH. Malignant changes were excluded in all nodules by fine needle aspiration biopsy. All the patients had serum TSH levels ≤0.1 mU/l and the effective T-half was ≥3 days at the time of treatmen...

Radioiodine therapy is non-invasive, safe and cost effective method of therapy for reduction of goitre. We aimed to determine whether radioiodine therapy has benefit effect on the symptoms mimicking hyperthyroidism in nontoxic goitre patients.Material and methods: We studied 20 patients with non toxic nodular goitre, aged 42–79 years, 12 females and 8 males. All the patients complained of some symptoms of hyperthyroidism (palpitation, hot intoleranc...

A 44-year-old female, with non-toxic goiter was referd to our Department for thyroid volume reduction. Serum levels of FT4, FT3 and TSH were within normal range, high resolution ultrasonography show enlarlarged thyroid glands (50 ml), with 2 nodules one in the left and one in the right lobe. Malignancy was ruled out by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Thyroid radioiodine scintigraphy showed homogenous and diffuse uptake in the right lobe, ...

Introduction: Thionamides are first line treatment in the management of thyrotoxicosis; nevertheless several weeks of treatment is needed before euthyroidism is restored. This delayed and gradual action makes thionamides insufficient as sole treatment when acute control of the hyperthyroid status is mandatory, hence the need for potent yet rapid acting adjuvant antithyroid agent. Lithium is a monovalent cation that inhibits thyroid iodine uptake and hormone release with maximu...

Introduction: The presence of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies in euthyroid children poses a potential risk for the development of autoimmune hypothyroidism. Little is known about the ontogeny of this process. This retrospective study aims to estimate the risk of developing hypothyroidism in euthyroid children with raised TPO antibodies and provide a guideline for follow up.Methods: Children 0–16 years with raised TPO antibodies (1996–2005) ...

While increasing levels of thyroxine may be a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (van Zaane et al. Blood 2010 115(22) 4344–4349), there is a relative lack of detailed data on the effect of thyroid hormones on haemostatic system. We analyzed multiple markers of haemostasis in a cohort of patients shifting from severe hypothyroidism to mild hyperthyroidism during their differentiated thyroid cancer treatment.In 94 patients fol...

Introduction: Autoimmune thyroiditis is rarely painful. A tender goitre usually indicates viral thyroiditis. Here, we present a case of a persistent painful goitre due to sclerosing-type Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Case presentation: Our patient is a 27-year-old mother, with no significant past medical history. She was diagnosed with autoimmune hypothyroidism in October 2005 when 4 months post-partum. At diagnosis her anti-TPO titre was 2041 U/ml...

In order to compare effects of treatment in hyperthyroid patients treated with thyrostatic drug alone and those treated with thyrostatic plus levothyroxine we reviewed data from 60 consecutive patients attending our outpatient clinic. 27 patients, 25 ♀ and 2 ♂, aged 27–68 years were treated with thyrostatic drug alone, while 33 patients, 31 ♀ and 2 ♂, aged 19–88 years received thyrostatic plus levothyroxine. Number of remissions was greate...

Introduction: Thyroxine is essential for growth and brain development in neonates. Early detection of hypothyroidism by measurement of free T4 (fT4) is therefore paramount. Moreover, the initial monitoring of Thyrax suppletion requires accurate fT4 measurements.Methods: In the Maasstad Hospital fT4 has been measured with the Immulite 2500 and from 2010 onward with the Dimension VISTA. Both instruments show good...

Introduction: Aminoterminal pro B type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) is the inactive degradation product of pro BNP. Thyroid diseases are known to have effect on NT-pro BNP levels. In this study, we aimed to determine possible changes in NT-pro BNP levels in patients with thyroid dysfunctions.Material and method: Fifteen patients with hyperthyroidism, 8 with subclinical hyperthyroidism, 12 with hypothyroidism, 15 with subclinical hypothyroidism and 35...

Introduction: Thyroid disorders affect body composition; however, few studies have addressed the effect of variation of thyroid hormone status within the euthyroid range on body composition. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between indices of thyroid status and body composition in a population of euthyroid men.Methods: Healthy male siblings (n=677, 25–45 years, mean BMI 25.2) were recruited in a cross-sectional, population-based st...

Introduction: Real-time elastography (RTE) is a noninvasive ultrasound method of estimation of tissue stiffness by measuring the degree of local tissue displacements after a small compression. Recent data has shown indicate on its ability to differentiate benign and malignant tumors. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of RTE in the diagnosis of malignant and benign thyroid nodules.Material and methods: A total of 75 thyroid nodu...

Introduction: The coexistence of thyroid nodules and autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) has been widely reported. The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of thyroid nodules associated with autoimmune thyroiditis. Sibiu county is a well known mild iodine deficiency area from Romania.Material and methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 600 patients (25–79 years) with autoimmune thyroiditis in University County Hospital ...

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disorder. Genetic background, environmental and endogenous factors are play important roles in determining the activation of immune cells or the efficacy of the immunoregulatory pathways. In recent years underlined the immunosuppressive role of T lymphocytes with expression of CD4+CD25+ (Tregs) in regulation mechanisms of peripheral immune tolerance.The aim of the study was to...

The effects of thyroid hormone deprivation and restitution on growth rate and pituitary and plasma GH levels have been studied in control and streptozotocin (STZ) – diabetic rats. GH was measured by a specific RIA using the NIAMOD rat-GH kit. Male Wistar rats which had been surgically thyroidectomized for 30 days and which had been stopped growing were injected i.p. with either saline or STZ (4 mg/100 g b.wt). Eight days after saline or STZ, groups of thyroidectomized con...

Introduction: The coexistence of thyroid nodules and autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) has been widely reported. The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of thyroid nodules associated with autoimmune thyroiditis. Sibiu county is a well known mild iodine deficiency area from Romania.Material and methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 600 patients (25–79 years) with autoimmune thyroiditis in University County Hospital ...

Nerve growth factor (NGF) belongs to the neurotrophic family and maintains the normal function of peripheral sympathetic and sensory neurons. NGF can synthesize locally in the neuronal and nonneuronal tissues. The main cell sources of NGF restrict to bone-marrow derived cells (lymphocytes, mast cells, eosinophils, monocytes, macrophages) as well as to structural cells (fibroblasts, epithelial cells, smooth muscle cells, adipocytes, keratinocytes). The sympathoadrenal activity ...

The importance of thyroid hormone (TH) transporters for brain development has been unequivocally demonstrated by the identification of mutations in the transporter MCT8. Patients have mental retardation, hypotonia and low body weight (BW). Their biochemical phenotype typically shows high serum T3, low serum T4 and normal TSH levels. Recently, it has been shown that MCT8 is prerequisite for normal TH release from the thyroid. To date, no curative therapy i...

Background: Previous nation-wide survey on iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in Latvia showed a mild iodine deficiency in 587 schoolchildren (median UI – 59 μg/l). At the time less than 1% of all edible salt was iodized. Despite of the results of National IDD Elimination Committee study, all preventive measures were limited to production of leaflets promoting voluntary iodine salt consumption and convincing industry to use iodized salt. In order to perform a 10-year ...

Background: Thyroid hormones increase both serum levels of cystatin C and renal glomerular filtration rate (reflected by lower serum creatinine); the latter is considered the main determinant of cystatin C levels. A potential explanation for this apparently discrepant finding is an increased production, rather than a decreased clearance, of cystatin C. To study whether 3,3′,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) increases the production of cystatin C in a w...

Introduction: Elastography is a new dynamic technique that uses ultrasonography for the assessment of tissue stiffness. The principle of ultrasound-elastography is that compression of the examined tissue induces a smaller strain in hard tissues than in soft ones. Until now elastography has been applied to study the hardness and elasticity of thyroid nodules, aiming to differentiate malignant from benign ones.Aim: We decided to study if ultrasound elastog...

Introduction: Thyroid follicular adenomas (FA) and adenomatous nodules (AN) – lesions frequently found in areas with iodine deficiency, can be normo-/hypofunctioning (scintigraphically cold – SCN) or hyperfunctioning (scintigraphically hot – SHN) nodules.Aim: Evaluation of proliferation potential in thyroid nodules on tissue samples obtained at surgery from euthyroid patients clinically diagnosed with SCN and from patients with thyroid hyp...

The effect of age on thyroid function and hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis have been studied. The objective of the study was to examine: correlation between triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormone levels, thyroid antibodies and thyroglobulin levels and old age; capability of TSH and prolactin (PRL) response to TRH, in TRH test depending on age and gender of the examines. We have tested 125 subjects, classified in 4 group. First, cont...

Introduction: Myxedema coma (MC) is a rare life-threatening form of hypothyroidism most often seen in patients with incompletely treated or unknown hypothyroidism exposed to stressful conditions (surgery, infections, hypothermia, trauma).Case report: We report the case of a 58-years-old woman hospitalized for coma in a peripheral hospital after a severe respiratory infection. Two days after, patient’s condition was worsening and she was transferred ...

Introduction: Thyroid hemiagenesis (TH) is characterised by congenital absence of one thyroid lobe.Aim: To assess possible association between TH and concomitant alterations of other structures derived from pharyngeal apparatus, which might potentially impact calcium-phosphate balance.Materials and methods: Studied group: 20 patients with TH. Control group: 20 subjects with bilobed thyroid, matched for age and gender. Serum concent...

Introduction: Radioiodine therapy (RIT) in patients with Graves’ disease (GD) and orbitopathy (GO) is still controversial, especially in smokers, due to the risk of exacerbation of ophthalmologic symptoms.Aim: To evaluate the effect of RIT in smoking and non-smoking patients with mild GO in a 6-month follow-up.Patients and methods: We examined 26 smoking and 25 non-smoking patients, matched for age and gender, presenting hyper...

Introduction: Graves’ hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease sustained by auto antibodies binding to and activating the TSH receptor located on the thyroid follicular cell. The diagnosis of Graves’ hyperthyroidism is based upon clinical symptoms, signs and laboratory tests confirming the presence of thyrotoxicosis, positive thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and less commonly thyroglobulin (Tg) antibodies, and finally, positive serum TSH receptor antibodies (TRab). Recently ...

The transformation of toxic nodular goitre into autoimmune hyperthyroidism with development of thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSHRAb) as effect of 131I therapy is rarely investigated.The aim of the study is to present cases of patients with toxic nodular goitre who developed autoimmune hyperthyroidism after initial 131I dose, and results of treatment with second 131I dose or thyrostatics.Four pati...

Introduction: Graves’ disease (GD) is a common autoimmune endocrinopathy where autoantibodies that activate TSH receptor (TRAb) cause clinical hyperthyroidism. Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO) is one of the major complications of GD that results from the inflammation of retro-orbital tissues. Although the clinical usefulness of TRAb determination in the diagnosis of GD is well established, recent studies have shown that TRAb levels may also be helpful in assessing the activi...

Introduction: The utility of screening for antibodies against thyroperoxidase (TPOAb) in early pregnancy remains controversial. The aim of our retrospective follow-up study was to examine the thyroid function of initially euthyroid TPOAb+ women at a longer period after delivery.Methods: We invited 822 women screened positive for thyroid disorders in the first trimester of pregnancy (9th–12th gestational week) for follow-up. This included measurement...

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and Grave’s disease (GD) frequently form overlap syndromes with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Among genetic factors, the role of the HLA antigens and CTLA4 gene polymorphisms in the formation of such overlap syndromes has been suggested.Objective: Aim of this study was to investigate the alleli and genotypes frequency of the CTLA4 exon1 A49G polymorphism in Slovak patients wi...

Introduction: Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by premature aging, skin changes, gray hair, alopecia, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, and cataracts and has a high frequency of association with rare neoplasms. In addition, some endocrinological abnormalities were manifested in this rare disease, such as hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia. Atrophic changes of organs and systems such as skin, brain and genital organs were reported. H...

Introduction: The association of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) with thyroid diseases is well known, especially in the field of polyglandular autoimmune diseases. Thyroid status can influence the necessary of insulin – decreased in hypothyroidism and higher in hyperthyroidism. We wanted to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid pathology in patient with DM1.Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study including 66 patients with DM1 (23 men, 43 women) age...

Thyroid disease epidemiology has changed recently. This change may be related to changes in the iodine status of the environment. Iodine deficiency was observed in earlier years in Greece. The progression of multinodular goiter to hyperthyroidism was frequently observed. Nowadays, the development of autoimmune thyroiditis is frequently observed in patients with simple or nodular goiter. This development may be related to the proinflammatory action of iodine, iodine being nowad...

Thyroid-associated ophtalmopathy (TAO) is an organ-specific autoimmune process that is strongly associated with thyroid dysfunction. Patients with TAO may present eyelid retraction, proptosis, chemosis, periorbital oedema and altered ocular motility with significant functional and cosmetic consequences. There is the possibility of coexistence of two or more autoimmune diseases affecting the eye due to the cross-reactivity to common antigens from the eye muscles.<p class="a...

Introduction: Optimal anti-thyroid regimen for management of Graves’ disease is still a matter of controversy. The aim of this study is determination of remission rate and long-term relapse rate after low-dose anti-thyroid drug therapy.Method: This study is a long-term retrospective study. We selected 100 patients with the diagnosis of Graves’ disease that admitted to our endocrinology clinic from January 2000 until December 2010. All of patien...

Background: There are remarkable debates on the pathogenic mechanisms of Graves’ disease (GD). We prospectively followed up the serum levels of different autoimmunity indices in patients with GD in order to elucidate their pattern of alteration with time.Methods: A total of 119 consecutive patients with GD were treated using low dose anti-thyroid medications at the initial dose of 20 mg/day of methimazole (MMI). Then, the dose was gradually decrease...

Introduction: Visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) is a novel adipocytokine which might exert an insulin-sensitizing effect. It is thought that vaspin mRNA expression may be a compensatory mechanism associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Given the fact that subclinical and overt hypothyroidism are known risk factors for insulin resistance, we aimed to assess the regulation of vaspin by thyroid hormones in humans.Met...

Objective: Many studies suggest that thyroid function modifies the process of healthy aging in humans. However, both a progressive increase and decrease of TSH with advancing age have been reported. The discrepancy may lie in the iodine intake in the population under, since low iodine intake results in an inverse association of TSH with age, while high iodine intake results in a positive association. We aimed to investigate whether FT4, FT3 and FT3</...

Introduction: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is common autoimmune thyroid disorder and is predominantly the clinical expression of cell-mediated immunity leading to destruction of thyroid cells. Vitamin D plays a role in the regulation of immunity and cell proliferation. So, do the serum levels of vitamin D reduced in HT?Methods: We examined the medical records of the ‘Thyroid policlinic’ patients with or without HT. Vitamin D, thyroid autoa...

Introduction: Thyroid surgery is nowadays associated with low morbidity and extremely low mortality. A consistent association has been observed between high surgical volume and better outcomes. Patients who undergo surgery by a skilled surgeon have fewer complications. On the other hand, different surgical techniques have been associated with different outcomes. Since 1997, thyroid diseases are treated in our department by a multidisciplinary team.Object...

Introduction: Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) plays an essential role in the evaluation of thyroid nodular disease (TND). It reduces the rate of unnecessary thyroid surgery for patients with benign nodules, and allows the choice of the appropriate surgery. In our department, 2124 FNAB were performed in 10 years. 60% of them are now ultrasound guided (UGFNAB).Objective: To access the accuracy of FNAB in our hospital.Methods: Re...