Postoperative serum magnesium levels as a predictor for the need for calcium replacement after total thyroidectomy: a prospective study

ABSTRACT Objective: Our aim was to assess the ability of serum magnesium (Mg), measured on the first postoperative day (Mg1PO), to predict the need for calcium (Ca) replacement in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy (TT). Subjects and methods: Eighty patients undergoing TT, with Mg1PO and PTH dosage in the first (PTH1h) and eighth (PTH8h) hours after TT, were evaluated for the need for Ca replacement. Data were evaluated by uni/multivariate logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: 32 patients (40%) required Ca replacement. Median PTH1h, PTH8h and Mg1PO were higher in the no replacement group: 17 versus (vs) 3 pg/mL (p < 0.001), 18.2 vs 3.0 pg/mL (p < 0.001) and 2 vs 1.6 mg/dL (p < 0.001), respectively. Mg1PO was the isolated predictor for this replacement (odds ratio = 0.0004, 95% confidence interval: 0.000003-0.04; p = 0.001), with the cut-off value of 1.8 mg/dL showing sensitivity and specificity of 78.1% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusions: In this group of patients, serum Mg1PO was the isolated predictor for the need for Ca replacement.

Thyroglobulin/thyrotropin ratio for predicting long-term response in differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a retrospective study

ABSTRACT Objective: Thyrotropin-stimulated thyroglobulin (STg) after total thyroidectomy is a prognosis marker for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). As Tg level is influenced by thyrotropin (TSH), perhaps the STg/TSH ratio is also a prognosis marker for these tumours. We aimed to compare STg/TSH ratio and first STg level in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients for their ability to predict the long-term response to initial treatment. Subjects and methods: This retrospective study evaluated data from 181 DTC patients for first (1st) STg and STg/TSH ratio, at 1-3 months post-total thyroidectomy and before iodine-131 therapy, according to response to initial therapy [Excellent/Indeterminate or Incomplete (Biochemical/Structural)] observed at final evaluation, and with the survival time with excellent/indeterminate response. Results: Cases with incomplete response presented higher STg level [225.13 ± 585.26 ng/mL versus (vs) 20.4 ± 192.9 ng/mL; p < 0.001] and STg/TSH ratio (3.01 ± 7.8 vs 0.27 ± 2.58; p < 0.001). Cutoffs of 5 ng/mL for STg and 0.085 for STg/TSH displayed sensitivities of 76.7% and 76.9%, and specificities of 79.2% and 82.6%, respectively, in predicting response to therapy. Values below these cutoffs were associated with longer survival time in excellent/indeterminate response (140.4 vs 15.9 and 144.6 vs 15.9 months, respectively). Conclusion: STg/TSH ratio has a similar performance to the 1st STg in predicting long-term response to initial therapy.

Desenvolvimento de um escore preditor da eficácia do tratamento quimioterápico pré-operatório em mulheres com carcinoma de mama localmente avançado / Development of an efficiency of the prediction score of preoperative chemotherapy treatment in women with locally advanced breast cancer

Com intuito de desenvolver um escore preditor da resposta quimioterápica neoadjuvante, propusemos a cintilografia de mamas com sestamibi-99mTc, associada a fatores prognósticos como método preditor. Foram estudadas 65 pacientes com diagnóstico de carcinoma ductal submetidas à cintilografia de mamas préquimioterapia neoadjuvante (QT neo), painel imunohistoquímico e avaliação do espécime cirúrgico. A análise cintilográfica compreendeu a elaboração do índice de concentração, com áreas de interesse com contagens/pixels geradas sobre a lesão e na mama contralateral e cálculo da área tumoral. A analise estatística foi realizada para o grupo total de pacientes e separadamente para os grupos de esquema quimioterápico AC e ACT. Construiu-se um modelo de regressão logística utilizando como variáveis, idade, índice, localização do tumor, painel imunohistoquímico e comprometimento axilar, obtendo-se valores preditos que em função da resposta patológica completa foi elaborada uma curva ROC, para conseguir um escore de maior sensibilidade e especificidade. A área da curva ROC foi significativa para todos os grupos e o escore obtido foi de 0,728, 0,834 e 0,667 para o grupos total, AC e ACT, respectivamente. A sensibilidade, especificidade e valores preditivos positivo e negativo foram 81,6%, 81,2%, 93% e 59%, para o grupo total, 75,8%, 90%, 96,1% e 52,9%, para o grupo AC e 81,3%, 83,3%, 92,8% e 62,5%, para o grupo ACT...

In order to develop a prediction score of neoadjuvant chemotherapy response, we proposed the breast scintigraphy with 99mTc-sestamibi associated prognostic factors as predictor method. We studied 65 patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma undergoing breast scintigraphy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (QT neo), immunohistochemical panel and surgical specimens. The scintigraphic analysis included the development of uptake index made by counts/pixels in identical region of interest under tumor lesion and the reference region in the contra lateral breast and area calculation. The statistical analysis was performed for the total group of patients and separately for groups of AC chemotherapy regimen and ACT. Built a logistic regression model using variables, age, index, tumor location, immunohistochemical panel and axillary nodes, obtaining values predicted according to the complete pathologic response, ROC curve was drawn up, to get score a higher sensitivity and specificity. The area under the ROC curve was significant for all groups and the score obtained was 0.728, 0.834 and 0.667 for the groups total, AC and ACT, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 81.6%, 81.2%, 93% and 59% for the total group, 75.8%, 90%, 96.1% and 52.9%, for the AC group and 81.3%, 83.3%, 92.8% and 62.5% for the ACT group...