Endocrine Abstracts

PurposeThe standard treatment of hypothyroidism is levothyroxine (LT4), which is available as tablets or soft-gel capsules in Denmark. This study aimed to investigate Danish endocrinologists’ use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients.MethodAn e-mail with an invitation to participate in an online survey investigating practices about substitution with thyroid hormones was sent to all me...

Steroids are still widely prescribed in pituitary trans-sphenoidal surgery (TSA). Pituitary-adrenal/thyroid/gonadal functions were prospectively evaluated in 72 consecutive NFPA pts (20–87 years, 37 M) before and after endoscopic-TSA (E-TSA) (63 at first operation, 9 at re-operation). All had macroadenoma with suprasellar extension: impinging optic chiasma in 28, extending into cavernous sinus (CS) in 23, giant in 12. Hydrocortisone was infused peri-operatively only in pt...

Patients: Nineteen acromegalic patients (8 females, 21-69 years-old, with macroadenoma, microadenoma or no evidence of pituitary tumor in 15, 2, 2, respectively) resistant to first generation somatostatin analogs (FG-SA) at high doses and/or intolerant to pegvisomant were switched to pasireotide LAR (PasLAR). Eleven had persistent disease after neurosurgery and two had also undergone radiosurgery (12 and 24 months before starting PasLAR). Six complained of acromegalic headache...

Objectives: The use of levothyroxine (LT4) treatment aiming to improve fertility in euthyroid women with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), is not supported by the available evidence, however the extent to which this is applied in clinical practice is unknown. The aim of the study was to document the demographic, work-related characteristics, and therapeutic choices of European physicians in the case of euthyroid infertile women positive for TPOAb.<p class="ab...

Objectives: Some hypothyroid patients are critical of their care, although this appears to vary between countries. The quality of thyroid care delivered, and the perceived patient experience may be influenced by characteristics of specialists such as age, sex, experience, and workplace setting. Here, we aimed to explore geographical differences in thyroid specialist characteristics.Methods: THESIS is a large European questionnaire survey of thyroid speci...

COVID-19 pandemic obliged physicians to find out alternative options to classical pathways, to lower viral spread and related dangers as well as to cope with redeployment of personnel and resources. We describe here two cases in whom surgery for adrenal Cushing’s syndrome (CS) and pheochromocytoma (PHEO) was deferred due to the unavailability of surgical facilities.Case no 1: A 69-yo woman was evaluated for CS. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was diagnosed...

Background: Hypothyroidism is one of the most frequent conditions in endocrinology. Despite of that fact, indications for treatment differ among specialists in Spain.Aims: To identify attitudes of Spanish endocrinologists in the use of levothyroxine (LT4) therapy and the management of hypothyroidism.Methods: The members of the Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición (Spanish Society of Endocrinology ...

Objectives: The use of thyroid hormones (TH) to treat obesity is not supported by evidence based on efficacy and safety, and this is reflected in recommendations of major international guidelines on hypothyroidism and obesity. We aimed to explore views about this practice among European thyroid specialists and their associations with respondent characteristics.Methods: Thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to participate in a questionnaire s...

Background: Levothyroxine (LT4) is considered the standard of care for hypothyroidism, however 5-10% of hypothyroid individuals complain of persistent symptoms despite achieving biochemical euthyroidism on LT4.Methods: 17,247 thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to participate in a survey. It enquired about respondents’ perceptions of the cause of hypothyroid-like persistent symptoms and how the prevalence of such complaints had change...

Background: Levothyroxine (LT4) monotherapy is the mainstay of treatment of hypothyroidism, but a sizeable minority of endocrinologists also use T3-containing treatments in some patients notwithstanding concern about their safety.Methods: 17,247 thyroidologists from 28 countries were invited to participate in a questionnaire survey. Geographic regions were defined according to the UN Statistics Division. Gross national income (GNI) information stems from...