differentiate benign from malignant thyroid nodule comparison of sonography with FNAC findings

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sonography and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology [FNAC]. This follow-up study was approved by review board and conducted at Endocrine Clinic and Radiology Department of Imam Reza, Kermanshah. The patients were diagnosed to have thyroid nodule examined by FNA and Sonography suspicious malignant cases underwent surgery. Results were entered in SPSS 11.5 chi-Square and Fisher exact test applied to compare malignant and benign nodule characters. In this study 144 patients were examined and 14 cases [9.7%] had malignant nodule. Most of malignant nodules were single [p=0.001], solid [p < 0.001], hypo-echo [p=0.001], with irregular margins [p < 0.001] and with calcification [p=0.041]. There was no significant relationship between malignancy and nodule size of larger than 15 mm [p=0.395]. Compared with surgery, FNA sensitivity and specificity were calculated as 92.8% and 100% respectively. Based on the result of this study, thyroid nodule size must not be considered as a criterion for malignancy and thyroid nodules of any size must be suspected as malignant. Important criteria for malignancy include irregular edges, being solid, hypoechogenicity and being a single nodule respectively. Compared with Surgery, FNA Sensitivity and specificity were calculated as 92.8% and 100% respectively

Post partum depression and thyroid function

Risk of depression is particularly high for women during the prenatal period. Various investigators have attempted to establish a link between thyroid function and post partum depression. This study aimed to investigate whether thyroid function differs in women with postpartum depression compared to a control group. In this case-control study, subjects were selected from Obstetrics and Gynecology and Psychiatric clinics of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Forty eight patients suffering from postpartum depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition totally revised [DSM-IV-TR], and 65 normal controls underwent diagnostic evaluation by one trained psychiatrist using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR. Then, the demographic questionnaire and the Persian version of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] were completed by the participants. Finally, their thyroid functions were assessed. Data analyses were done using the SPSS program 13. No statistically significant differences were observed between thyroid function tests and postpartum depression. According to multiple regression analysis with stepwise method, subjects with lower serum TSH, T3RU, T3 levels, younger age and longer period after delivery tended to have higher EPDS scores [P-value=0.008]. The present study reports that those women with postpartum depression had a no greater prevalence of thyroid dysfunction than the control subjects. It seems that thyroid dysfunction should be considered in women with postpartum depression individually, but the role of thyroid as an important cause of this condition is not yet established. This suggests that future studies should concentrate on this concept in postpartum depression

[Prevalence of gestational diabetes and its risk factors in Kermanshah 2009]

Prevalence of gestational diabetes [GD] varied between 1-14% around the world. Such variation in the prevalence of GD as well as no available information in Kermanshah encouraged us to design this study aimed to investigate about prevalence of GD and factors associated with this condition in Kermanshah. A cross-sectional descriptive analytic study was designed. The study population was 1720 pregnant women referred to Kermanshah's primary health and treatment centers. All recorded information within their profiles including demographic data, last pregnancies, familial history, result of GCT and OGTT [if data were available] was collected. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods [logistic regression]. Prevalence of GD cases was 3.43%. Diabetic mothers were more obese and older than non-diabetic mothers and greater proportion of such women had previous history of GD, still birth, familial history of diabetes, history of abortion, macrosomia and PCO. In multivariate analysis showed that age, obesity, familial history of diabetes, previous history of GD and abortion increased the risk of GD. The prevalence of GD in Kermanshah is comparable with other studies in Iran. Controlling related risk factors may reduce risk of GD