ABSTRACT
Thyroid antibodies have a key role in follow up of the patients with thyroid carcinoma, thus present study investigates thyroid antibodies in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. For this cross sectional study, 157 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma [case group] and 434 healthy subjects [control group] were included. Serum level of antithyroglubin and antiperoxidase were measured [RADIM, Italia]. Antithyroglubin and antiperoxidase levels of >150u/ml and 100u/ml, respectively, were considered positive. Based on the recent intervention [surgery or radioactive iodine intake] patients were assigned in two groups of before and after 6 months and the aforementioned antibodies were checked. The mean [ +/- standard deviation] of antithyroglubin was 290 +/- 111 and 405 +/- 111 u/ml in case and control group, respectively. The mean antiperoxidase level was 257 +/- 46 and 302 +/- 73u/ml, respectively. positive antithyroglubin level was reported in 21[13.4%] cases versus 65[15%] controls [NS], however, positive antiperoxidase level was found in 6[3.8%] cases and 42[9.7%] controls [p=0.02]. Patients with thyroid carcinoma showed similar antithyroid antibodies as healthy population, however, their level within the first 6-month following the intervention was significantly higher than 6 months after the intervention
ABSTRACT
We evaluated the specific pattern of pre- and postoperative neurological signs and symptoms of cervical spondylotic myelopathy [CSM] to determine findings which had a predictive value for surgical outcome. Consecutive patients with CSM caused by osteophytic ridge or intervertebral disc herniation who underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion in Loghman Hakim Hospital from 1999-2003 were prospectively enrolled. Patients were evaluated postoperatively by office visit. Outcome was assessed by objective neurological examination and scoring with multiple functional rating scales. Forty - three patients [30 male, 13 female] with a mean age of 48.8 years fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The most common preoperative symptoms were sensory deficit in distal upper limbs [88.4%], gait disturbance [69.8%] and sensory deficit of distal lower limbs [58.1%]. The most common signs were hyperreflexia [95.3%], Hoffman's sign [93%] and Babinski's sign [83.7%]. Vertebral osteophyte and soft disc herniation were found in 86% and 14% of the patients, respectively. Overall functional improvement, evaluated by using a modification of the Japanese Orthopedic Association Scale was noted in 79.7% of the patients who had an abnormal scale preoperatively. Strength improved considerably and significantly after operation. However, less than half of the patients experienced functional improvement in the lower limbs, a discrepancy that was probably caused by persistent spasticity. Atrophy of the hand muscles, preoperative spastic gait and cord atrophy as shown in MRI were poor prognostic factors