Comparison of Thyroid Hormones in Euthyroid Athyreotic Patients Treated with Levothyroxine and Euthyroid Healthy Subjects

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Levothyroxine (L-T4) monotherapy to normalize TSH level might be not sufficient to restore serum free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels in hypothyroid patients. This study aimed to compare the thyroid hormone levels in euthyroid L-T4 treated athyreotic patients and euthyroid healthy control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 69 euthyroid L-T4 treated athyreotic female patients after total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine ablation therapy and 90 euthyroid healthy female. Serum fT3 and free thyroxine (fT4) levels were simultaneously measured using two different assay kits (A and B). RESULTS: The serum fT4 level was higher in the athyreotic patients (kit A: p<0.001, kit B: p=0.046), and the serum fT3 level was higher in control subjects (kit A: p=0.047, kit B: p=0.102). In the control group, the serum fT3 level was stable and not correlated with the TSH level (kit A: tau=−0.10, p=0.18, kit B: tau=−0.06, p=0.40). However, in the patient group, the serum fT3 level was negatively correlated with the TSH level (kit A: tau=−0.22, p=0.012, kit B: tau=−0.31, p<0.001). All thyroid hormone parameters measured by kit A showed higher area under the curve values than those measured by kit B for distinguishing the patients from the control subjects. CONCLUSION: The serum fT3 levels in L-T4 treated athyreotic euthyroid patients were significantly lower than and varied from those of euthyroid healthy control subjects. Thus, L-T4 monotherapy might not be appropriate for some athyreotic patients to maintain optimal T3 levels.

Non Surgical Treatment of Eagle's Syndrome: A Case Report

Eagle's syndrome is a disease without a clear lesion that is associated with repeated episodes of pharyngalgia, odynophagia, the sensation of a foreign body in the pharynx, tinnitus, and otalgia in which patients displaying these types of symptoms must be given a differential diagnosis. It is known to be characterized by styloid process elongation or increasing compression to adjacent anatomical structures through stylohyoid ligament calcification. In serious cases, continuous pressure to the carotid artery can lead to a stroke. Diagnosis is confirmed through clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and physical examinations. The most common type of treatment consists of a surgical excision of elongated styloid process. Nonetheless, this study presents a case of treating Eagle's syndrome with conservative management.

Bispectral index and their relation with consciousness of the patients who receive desflurane or sevoflurane anesthesia during wake-up test for spinal surgery for correction / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Wake-up tests may be necessary during surgery for kypho-scoliosis to ensure that spinal function remains intact. It is difficult to predict the time when patients can respond to a verbal command. We evaluated the effectiveness of the bispectral index (BIS) and its relation to patients' levels of consciousness in wake-up tests during desflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia. METHODS: Eighteen patients each were enrolled in the desflurane and sevoflurane groups for spinal correction surgery. We measured BIS values, blood pressure, heart rate, and consciousness state and time, at the points when patients responded during the wake-up test. RESULTS: The BIS values when patients made fists upon a verbal command (T3) were 86.7 +/- 7.5 for desflurane and 90.3 +/- 5.4 for sevoflurane. Patients in the desflurane group had significantly shorter wake up delays than those in the sevoflurane group (6.9 +/- 1.8 min vs. 11.8 +/- 3.6 min). However, there was no difference between the groups in the time between the response to a verbal command and the time when a patient moved their toes in response to verbal commands. No recall of the wake-up tests occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The values obtained using the BIS index could to some extent predict the time of a patient's and would be informative during desflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia. Moreover, desflurane permitted faster responses to verbal commands than sevoflurane, and allowed the wake-up test to be performed sooner.

The Effect of Supplementary Selenium on Leukocytes and HSP70 Expression after Half-Body Immersion

This study examined the effect of supplementary selenium on leukocytes and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in serum during half-body immersion. The subjects were male college tennis athletes. All subjects participated in two repeated experiments with a 1 week interval. During the 30 min intermittent half-body immersion, subjects were given 500 mL of water with or without selenium (100 microg). Blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein, and differential counts were made. Serum HSP70 protein was analyzed using a commercial ELISA kit. After half-body immersion, leukocytes and lymphocytes increased significantly but neutrophils decreased significantly in both trials (with or without selenium). Selenium supplementation, compared with placebo, decreased levels of leukocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes, but not lymphocytes, to the resting level or below 60 min after immersion. Only lymphocytes continued to increase in both trials during the recovery period. Serum HSP70 protein level did not change after immersion, but it decreased 60 min after immersion with the administration of selenium. In conclusion, supplementary selenium reduced the systemic immune response and serum HSP70 protein accumulation after half-body immersion.

A Case of Acute Lung Injury after Transfusion during Cesarean Section: A Case Report / 대한구급학회지

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious complication following the transfusion of blood products. TRALI is under-diagnosed and under-reported because of a lack of awareness. TRALI occurs within 6 hours of transfusion in the majority of cases and its presentation is similar to other forms of acute lung injury. We report on the case of a 34-year-old pregnant woman who suffered from TRALI after transfusion during Cesarean section.