Radioiodine plus recombinant human thyrotropin do not cause acute airway compression and are effective in reducing multinodular goiter

Recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) reduces the activity of radioiodine required to treat multinodular goiter (MNG), but acute airway compression can be a life-threatening complication. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we assessed the efficacy and safety (including airway compression) of different doses of rhTSH associated with a fixed activity of 131I for treating MNG. Euthyroid patients with MNG (69.3 ± 62.0 mL, 20 females, 2 males, 64 ± 7 years) received 0.1 mg (group I, N = 8) or 0.01 mg (group II, N = 6) rhTSH or placebo (group III, N = 8), 24 h before 1.11 GBq 131I. Radioactive iodine uptake was determined at baseline and 24 h after rhTSH and thyroid volume (TV, baseline and 6 and 12 months after treatment) and tracheal cross-sectional area (TCA, baseline and 2, 7, 180, and 360 days after rhTSH) were determined by magnetic resonance; antithyroid antibodies and thyroid hormones were determined at frequent intervals. After 6 months, TV decreased significantly in groups I (28.5 ± 17.6 percent) and II (21.6 ± 17.8 percent), but not in group III (2.7 ± 15.3 percent). After 12 months, TV decreased significantly in groups I (36.7 ± 18.1 percent) and II (37.4 ± 27.1 percent), but not in group III (19.0 ± 24.3 percent). No significant changes in TCA were observed. T3 and free T4 increased transiently during the first month. After 12 months, 7 patients were hypothyroid (N = 3 in group I and N = 2 in groups II and III). rhTSH plus a 1.11-GBq fixed 131I activity did not cause acute or chronic changes in TCA. After 6 and 12 months, TV reduction was more pronounced among patients treated with rhTSH plus 131I.

Disfunção hepática aguda em paciente com hipertireoidismo e hepatite por vírus B: recuperação após plasmaférese e tireoidectomia - relato de caso / Acute hepatic failure in a patient with hyperthyroidism and virus B hepatitis: recovery after plasmapheresis and thyroidectomy - a case report

Paciente masculino, 31 anos, internado com quadro de dor abdominal, náuseas, vômitos, icterícia e febre, iniciado há duas semanas. História de hipertireoidismo e tratamento irregular com propiltiuracil há dois anos, interrompeu a medicação quando iniciou o quadro atual. Apresentava bócio difuso, cerca de 120 g, T4L 22,7 ng/dL (VN 0,8-1,9 ng/dL); TSH < 0,002 µUI/mL (VN 0,4-5 µUI/mL). Transaminases, bilirrubinas total e direta séricas elevadas. Foi mantido sem antitireoidiano e iniciado propranolol até a dose de 480 mg/dia. Ultra-sonografia de abdome foi normal e sorologias para hepatites A, B e C indicaram infecção aguda por vírus B. Ocorreu piora da função hepática e manutenção de níveis elevados de hormônios tireoidianos. Visando evitar necessidade futura de antitireoidiano, obter rápida normalização dos níveis de hormônios tireoidianos e em virtude do tamanho do bócio foi indicado tireoidectomia. O paciente foi submetido a uma sessão de plasmaférese terapêutica, imediatamente antes da cirurgia, e tireoidectomia subtotal sem intercorrências. No quinto dia após a cirurgia, o paciente apresentava melhora da função hepática e baixos níveis séricos de T4 livre. Concluímos que o hipertireoidismo prévio pode exacerbar e perpetuar a disfunção hepática causada por hepatite viral aguda e que a plasmaférese é um meio rápido, seguro e eficaz de reduzir os níveis de hormônio tireoidiano, permitindo uma tireoidectomia bem-sucedida em pacientes com tireotoxicose grave.

A 31-year-old man admitted with abdominal pain, nauseas, vomiting, jaundice and fever that had began 2 weeks before. He had a history of hyperthyroidism and an irregular treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU) for 2 years. He had stopped PTU when the current symptoms started. The patient presented diffuse goiter, about 120g, FT4 22.7 ng/dL (N: 0.8 - 1.9 ng/dL); THS < 0.002 µUI/mL (N 0.4-5 µUI/mL). Transaminases, serum total and direct bilirubins were increased. He was kept without PTU and propranolol was started and increased until the dose of 480 mg/day. Abdominal ultrassonography was normal and serologic markers for hepatitis A, B and C pointed to acute virus B hepatitis. The patient presented a worse of hepatic function and elevated thyroid hormones levels. To avoid the future need of antithyroid drugs, to get a fast normalization of thyroid hormones levels and because of the goiter size thyroidectomy was recommended. The patient underwent one therapeutic plasmapheresis session just before the surgery. A total thyroidectomy was performed without complications. At the 5th day after surgery the patient presented improvement of hepatic function and low FT4 serum levels. We concluded that preexisting hyperthyroidism may aggravate or perpetuate a hepatic failure caused for acute viral hepatitis and plasmapheresis is a rapid, reliable and effective way to lower thyroid hormones serum levels, allowing a successful thyroidectomy in patients with severe thyrotoxicosis.

Esclerose: uma opção de tratamento para os nódulos tireoidianos císticos / Sclerosis: an option for treatment of cystic thyroid nodules

OBJETIVO: Verificar o efeito da injeção percutânea de etanol guiada por ultra-sonografia no tratamento dos nódulos tireoidianos císticos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Comparou-se o volume de 34 nódulos benignos císticos, em 30 pacientes (26 do sexo feminino e quatro do sexo masculino), antes e uma média de 3,9 meses depois da alcoolização. O volume inicial dos nódulos foi avaliado por dois observadores, que realizaram a ultra-sonografia em momentos diferentes, sem qualquer informação prévia a respeito do tamanho dos nódulos, cuja finalidade foi conhecer a variação interobservador das medidas ecográficas. RESULTADOS: A média de volume dos nódulos antes do tratamento foi de 12,3 ± 18,0 ml. A média de redução de volume foi de 74,0 ± 26,1 por cento (p = 0,0001), e 20,6 por cento (7/34) deles desapareceram. Não houve correlação entre o volume inicial e o percentual de redução dos nódulos. A média de variação das medidas interobservadores foi de 0,5 ml para um alfa de 5 por cento. Dor moderada, no momento da aplicação, foi a complicação mais freqüente. CONCLUSÃO: A injeção percutânea de etanol é uma opção segura e eficaz no tratamento dos nódulos tireoidianos císticos.

OBJECTIVE: To check the effect of ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection for treatment of cystic thyroid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparison was made of the volume of 34 benign cystic nodules in 30 patients (26 female, four male), before and 3.9 months (on average) after alcoholization. For the purpose of finding out interobserver variations in echographic measurements, the initial volume of the nodules was assessed by means of ultrasound at different moments, by two observers, without any previous knowledge on the nodules size. RESULTS: Mean volume of nodules before treatment was 12.3 ± 18.0 ml. Mean reduction rate in nodules after alcoholization was 74.0 ± 26.1 percent (p < 0.0001) and 7/34 (20.6 percent) of the nodules disappeared. There was no correlation between nodules size and reduction rate. The average interobserver nodule measurement variation was 0.5 ml, for an alpha of 5 percent. Moderate pain at the time of injection was the most frequent complication. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection is a safe and effective option for treatment of cystic thyroid nodules.

Multinodular goiter management in Western Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to provide epidemiological data and summarize the different modalities of management of multinodular goiters [MNG] in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia [KSA]. A total of 135 patients had MNG, which were diagnosed by ultrasonography at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital in Jeddah, KSA between January 2003 and June 2004. The data collected includes the age, gender, physical examination of the thyroid gland [trifluorothymidine, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone], ultrasonographic findings and Tc99 radioiodine nuclear scan of the thyroid gland, fine needle aspiration [FNA] of the gland and antithyroid antibodies. The study group was divided according to the thyroid status: nontoxic euthyroid MNG, hypothyroid MNG and toxic hyperthyroid MNG. The management of MNGs according to the patients' clinical presentations and thyroid status was reviewed. The mean age was 39 +/- 12.66 years with a range of 10-79 years. Forty-two patients [31%], with no history of thyroid cancer, had ultrasoundguided FNA; 41 [97.6%] of the FNAs were benign. One FNA [2.3%] was positive for papillary carcinoma in a 56-year-old female patient. Thyroid antibodies [anti-microsomal antibodies and anti-thymoglobulin antibodies] were measured in 50 patients [37%]. Thirty-one [62%] were positive, 11 [35%] of which were positive in patients with documented hypothyroidism. All patients with hypothyroidism were treated with levothyroxine; however, only 25.6% with euthyroid MNG were treated with suppressive doses of levothyroxine. Twelve patients [44.4%] with toxic MNG were treated with antithyroid medications. Radioiodine therapy was not given to any patient with nontoxic MNG; however, 48% of those with hyperthyroid MNG received radioactive iodine treatment. Surgery was carried out in 25.6% of patients with euthyroid nontoxic MNG, and in 11 patients with toxic MNG. Nearly half of those with nontoxic MNG [46.5%] and 14.8% of those with a subclinical hyperthyroid MNG refrained from any therapy. They were followed-up by their clinician in the outpatient clinic. Serum thyroid stimulating hormone levels, ultrasound and fine needle biopsy were the cornerstones of the diagnostic evaluation of patients with MNG. Review of the management of these patients was comparable to that found in the literature. The treatment strategy was similar to the recommendations by the American Thyroid Society; however, radioactive iodine treatment was not used as a treatment for patients with nontoxic goiters

Bocio multinodular / Multinodular goiter

Reportamos el caso de una paciente de sexo femenino de 80 años con bocio multinodular. Este agrandamiento de la glándula tiroidea (normalmente pesa 15-25g) puede ser generalizada o focalizada o estar asociada con una secreción hormonal normal, aumentada o disminuida. Comúnmente, la etiología no puede ser determinada. En el caso de bocio multinodular no tóxico (eutiroideo) la manifestación clínica es solamente el agrandamiento de la glándula. Secuelas mecánicas incluyen compresión y desplazamiento de la tráquea o esófago y síntomas obstructivos. Los agrandamientos de tamaño pequeño a moderado de la glándula tiroidea administrada por vía oral. Esto, a menudo no logra disminuir el tamaño de la glándula, pero usualmente mantiene su crecimiento...

Effect of post-operative thyroid hormone therapy on the recurrence of benign thyroid nodules. A study in Thai patients.

The efficacy of postoperative thyroid hormone treatment in prevention of recurrent thyroid nodule is still controversial. In order to investigate this effect in Thai patients, a retrospective study was performed on files of 321 post-operative patients with benign thyroid nodules, who were either on thyroid hormone treatment or not after surgery, and were followed-up for at least 1 year. The longest follow-up period was 15 years after surgery. The recurrence of nodules was determined by palpation. It was found that the recurrent rate in patients with adenoma who did not receive post-operative thyroid hormone treatment was 20 per cent (16/82 cases) while there was no recurrence at all (0/25 cases) in the treatment group (p < 0.05). The recurrent rate was 22 per cent (31/141 cases) in patients with nodular goitre who did not receive post-operative thyroid hormone treatment and 7 per cent (5/73 cases) in those with treatment (p < 0.001). In the group of patients without post-operative thyroid hormone treatment, for both the group of patients with adenoma and that with nodular goitres, the recurrence was found to occur as late as more than 10 years after surgery.

Bócio uninodular autônomo atóxico: estudo retrospectivo de 31 casos / Solitary nontoxic autonomously functioning nodules: retrospective study of 31 cases

Estudamos retrospectivamente o quadro clínico e laboratorial, assim como a evoluçäo, de 31 pacientes com diagnóstico de bócio uninodular autônomo atóxico (BUAA), acompanhados na Disciplina de Endocrinologia da Escola Paulista de Medicina de 1983 a 1989. Eram 29 mulheres e 2 homens, com idades variando de 18 a 68 anos, eutiroidianos clínica e laboratorialmente à apresentaçäo; 18 mostravam tecido extra-nodular parcialmente captante e 13 näo evidenciavam tecido extra-nodular captante; no teste TRH 8 tinham resposta abolida, 8 resposta parcial e 4 resposta normal; todos os 13 casos que se submeteram à supressäo com T3 tiveram a resposta abolida; todos os 12 casos que realizaram o teste de estímulo com TSH exógeno apresentaram resposta positiva. Näo houve correlaçäo entre o aspecto do nódulo ao mapeamento e a resposta do TSH ao TRH, nem entre o teste do TRH e o teste de supressäo com T3. Quanto ao seguimento, 4 pacientes evoluiram para o hipertiroidismo no espaço de 1 a 3 anos, enquanto que um apresnetou hipotiroidismo por tiroidite de Hashimoto; além disso, indicamos ciruriga ou radioterapia profiláticas em outros 7 casos por possuirem nódulos grandes ou doenças associadas