Effects of Treatment Adherence on Quality of Life in Hypoparathyroid Patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the current situation of hypoparathyroid patients and to investigate the relationship between treatment adherence and quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multicentre study. METHODS: Adult patients presenting with the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism to 20 different endocrinology clinics were included. They were receiving conventional therapies for hypoparathyroidism, using calcium, active vitamin D, and magnesium. We collected data on demographic features, disease- and treatment-related information, and results of routine laboratory tests, treatment adherence, and presence of complications. Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Short Form-36 quality of life assessments were administered. RESULTS: Among the 300 patients studied, 60.7% were adherent to their treatment, and 34.1% had complications. Anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher in non-adherent versus treatment-adherent patients (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). Most of the domains of quality-of-life scores were also significantly lower in non-adherent patients. Both anxiety and depression scores showed significant, negative correlations with serum calcium and magnesium concentrations (r=-0.336, p<0.001 and r=-0.258, p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 40% of the patients were non-adherent to conventional treatment for hypoparathyroidism, and such patients had higher anxiety and depression scores and poorer quality of life scores. Conventional treatment might not be sufficient to meet the needs of patients with hypoparathyroidism. In addition to seeking new therapeutic options, factors influencing quality of life should also be investigated and strategies to improve treatment adherence should be developed.

Diagnostic value of the late-night salivary cortisol in the diagnosis of clinical and subclinical Cushing's syndrome: results of a single-center 7-year experience.

Late-night salivary cortisol (LNSaC) is an easy-to-use test reflecting the free cortisol level in the serum and does not require hospitalization. Controlled studies reported that LNSaC has a high sensitivity and specificity, but have not set a clearly defined cut-off value to be used in the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of LNSaC in patients with clinical Cushing's syndrome (CCS) and subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS). The data of 543 patients, whose LNSaC levels were assessed using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method, were retrospectively evaluated. The study included a total of 324 patients: 58 patients with CCS, 53 patients with SCS, and 213 patients without Cushing's syndrome (NoCS). The cause of the Cushing's syndrome was hypophyseal in 26 patients (45%), adrenal in 24 patients (41%), and ectopic in 8 patients (14%) in the CCS group. Median LNSaC levels were 0.724 (0.107-33) µg/dL in CCS group, 0.398 (0.16-1.02) µg/dL in SCS group, and 0.18 (0.043-0.481) µg/dL in NoCS group (p=0.001). Accordingly, LNSaC had 89.6% sensitivity and 81.6% specificity at a cut-off value of 0.288 µg/dL in the diagnosis of CCS; and had 80.7% sensitivity and 85.1% specificity at a cut-off value of 0.273 µg/dL in the diagnosis of SCS. In the present study, a lower sensitivity and specificity than previously reported was found for LNSaC in the diagnosis of CCS. Moreover, the diagnostic performance of LNSaC in patients with SCS was close to its diagnostic performance in patients with CCS. Each center should determine its own cut-off value based on the method adopted for LNSaC measurement, and apply that cut-off value in the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome.

Cystic lateral neck mass: Thyroid carcinoma metastasis to branchial cleft cyst.

Etiologies of lateral cervical masses are complex, most commonly these masses are branchial cleft cysts; however, metastatic thyroid carcinoma should be included in the differential. We report a case of lateral cystic neck mass in a 22-year-old female patient diagnosed as metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. The patient was diagnosed after she underwent surgery for branchial cleft cyst. The patient underwent thyroidectomy which revealed multifocal micropapillary thyroid carcinoma with capsular invasion and lymph node metastases. Radioactive iodine treatment was planned. Congenital malformations of the lateral neck may present themselves in the second and third decades of life. Ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cleft cyst may give rise to primary papillary carcinoma, as well as branchial cleft cyst may harbor metastases of primary thyroid papillary carcinoma. We classified our patient as a metastasis to the branchial cleft cyst rather than primary papillary carcinoma of the branchial cleft cyst.

Bone metastases without primary tumor: A well-differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma case.

Metastases to the bone are the most common malignant bone tumors. Prostate, breast, and lung carcinomas are the most common primaries of bone metastases. Bone metastases show poor prognosis in means of median survival; however, some patients with highly curable tumors such as thyroid carcinoma may benefit from treatment. We report and discuss a unique case of a 70-year-old female patient presenting with arm pain, diagnosed with metastatic well-differentiated follicular carcinoma without a primary tumor in the thyroid.

A clinician's artificial organ? Instant messaging applications in medical care.

After the development of the first phone at the end of 19th century, communication technologies took a great leap forward in the 20th century. With the birth of the "smartphone" in the 21st century, communication technologies exponentially evolved and became an important part of our daily routine. Effective communications between clinicians is critical in medical care and miscommunications are a source of errors. Although telecommunication technologies have proliferated dramatically in the last decade, there is scarce evidence-based information on the use of this technology in medical care. For the purposes of medical communication, we can now consult each other about patients individually and within a group via instant messaging applications by using text messages, photos, audio messages and even videos. In this review, we examine the uses and drawbacks of instant messaging applications in medical communications.

Schizophrenia and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors and psychiatric disorders play a role in a variety of gastrointestinal illnesses, including esophageal diseases. AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms in patients with schizophrenia in Turkey. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with schizophrenia and one hundred control individuals were enrolled in the study, which was undertaken at the Manisa State Hospital for Mental Health and Neurological Disorders and Celal Bayar University Gastroenterology Department. Case and control subjects alike underwent 30-45 min oral interviews conducted by a designated study coordinator (E.K.). The coordinator gathered information about demographic characteristics, social habits, and a large variety of symptoms suggestive of reflux disease or other gastrointestinal conditions. RESULTS: In terms of reflux symptoms, cough was the only significant association in schizophrenic patients than controls. Heartburn and regurgitation were more frequent in schizophrenic patients who smoked than in controls who were smokers. However, the prevalence of reflux symptoms in cigarette smokers versus nonsmoker patients with schizophrenia was similar. Heartburn and/or regurgitation occurred more frequently in patients with schizophrenic than controls with alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric disorders might indirectly affect esophageal physiology through increased consumption of alcohol and nicotine.

Use of cytarabine and idarubicin in a newly diagnosed AML patient with a severe wound.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is malignant tumor of haemopoietic precursor cells of non-lymphoid lineage. AML can atypically present with non-spesific cutaneous lesions or wounds. There are rare acute leukemia cases which present with genital ulcerations or pyoderma gangrenosum in the literature. The effect of acute leukemia on wound healing is not known, but it is thought that cytopenias and chemotherapy can impair wound healing in patients with leukemia. The effects of chemotherapeutic agents on wound healing are arguable. Here we present wound care strategies and simultaneously applied chemotherapy in an AML patient.