Clinical utility of an ultrasensitive thyroglobulin assay in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer: can the stimulation test be avoided in patients with an intermediate recurrence risk?

SUMMARY: Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement during suppression with levothyroxine (LT4) using an ultrasensitive assay (OnT4-Tg) has been proposed as a replacement of TSH-stimulated Tg measurement (OffT4-Tg) in management of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the capacity of an ultrasensitive Tg assay in predicting an OffT4-Tg > 2.0 ng/mL based on the OnT4-Tg in patients with DTC and an intermediate recurrence risk. We analysed 101 patients with DTC and an intermediate (n = 92) or high risk of recurrence (n = 9) who were treated with total thyroidectomy and ablation with 131I, and followed for an average of 6 years. OnT4-Tg was undetectable in 64 of 101 patients; OffT4-Tg was #x003C; 2.0 ng/mL in 61 of these 64 patients, all with negative imaging results. Furthermore, 37 of 101 patients had detectable OnT4-Tg; 32 of these 37 patients also presented OffT4-Tg > 2.0 ng/mL, and only 3 of these 32 patients had metastases detected by neck ultrasound. Considering a cutoff point of 0.1 ng/mL for OnT4-Tg, the assay had a sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 92%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 86% and the negative predictive value (NPV) of 95% when predicting an OffT4-Tg > 2.0 ng/mL (biochemical disease). The use of an ultrasensitive Tg assay allows prediction of which patients will remain disease-free even if they are at an intermediate risk of recurrence, and to decrease the need for stimulated Tg assays in two-thirds of these patients.

Total distal radioulnar joint prosthesis as salvage surgery in multioperated patients.

The purpose of this study was to report the results following implantation of a total distal radioulnar joint prosthesis in five multioperated patients with posttraumatic or Essex-Lopresti injury. The range of motion (ROM) for flexion and extension, radial deviation and ulnar deviation of the wrist, and pronation and supination of the forearm, grip strength, pain intensity through a visual analog scale (VAS), surgical complications and ability to return to work, were recorded. Subjective and objective functions were assessed using the quick DASH questionnaire and the modified Mayo wrist score, respectively. The mean postoperative follow-up was 4.3 years. Average postoperative increase in ROM was 28.8° for flexion-extension; 2.2° for radial and ulnar deviation, and 18° for pronation-supination, reaching 85.8%, 85% and 80.8% of the contralateral hand function, respectively. Grip strength increased by 6.8kg, with recovery of 78% of the strength of the unaffected hand. VAS score decreased to a mean of 6.2 postoperatively. There were complications in two cases. All five patients showed no signs of implant loosening or movement. The quick DASH score decreased from a mean of 85 preoperatively to 38.6 postoperatively. The modified Mayo wrist score increased from a mean of 24 preoperatively to 73 at final follow-up. Four patients recovered their professional and daily activities without restriction and were satisfied with the procedure; one patient with heterotopic bone formation at the distal tip of the ulnar stem did not want any further surgery and agreed to job modifications.