ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The presence of nodules in the thyroid gland is the most frequent cause of endocrinopathy. The prevalence of thyroid nodules in the United States is estimated to be between 3-10%, whereas the prevalence of thyroid nodules in European adult population is estimated to be between 4-10%. At our Clinic of Obesity, the presence of nodules in the thyroid gland of obese patients is often found, incidentally, for this reason, we decide to investigate the prevalence of this pathology in obese patients and to quatify the number of times in which the presence of nodules had not been previously diagnosed. METHODS: 3248 obese patients were examined during in the last six years (1991-1996); of these patients 747 were affected by obesity and thyropathy; of these 747 we took into consideration only those with a cold single nodule and correlated the presence of the nodule with BMI, sex and age. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of a cold single nodule in the obese patients was 31%, of which 83% has not been previously diagnosed. Of cold nodules 8% was represented by carcinoma. The carcinoma appeared more often in females than in males (3:1). The incidence of cold nodules was more frequent in adults and in mild-medium obesity.
Subject(s)
Obesity/epidemiology , Thyroid Nodule/epidemiology , Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Body Mass Index , Carcinoma, Papillary/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Comorbidity , Female , Humans , Infant , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Thyroid Hormones/blood , Thyroid Neoplasms/epidemiology , Thyroid Nodule/diagnosisABSTRACT
The case of a 58 years-old woman with incidental adrenal tumor without endocrinological features of Cushing's syndrome, dexamethasone nonsuppressible uptake of 131I-19 iodocholesterol on right adrenal gland, and no uptake of the left, is described. Right adrenalectomy was performed with the diagnosis of adrenal tumor. The histopathological study revealed that the mass was an adrenal adenoma composed of mixtures of clear and compact cells. Postoperative course was uneventful without replacement therapy with cortisol. This case report suggest that in patients with incidental adrenal tumor, the adrenocortical scintigraphy is very useful for the identification for autonomously functioning adrenal mass.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell , Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms , Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/diagnostic imaging , Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/pathology , Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/surgery , Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/pathology , Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/surgery , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/pathology , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/surgery , Adrenalectomy/methods , Female , Humans , Iodine Radioisotopes , Middle Aged , Radionuclide ImagingABSTRACT
Our knowledge of the genetics of insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM), and in particular the HLA system, has gained considerable expansion thanks to the application of molecular biology. The genetic susceptibility to the disease is linked to the HLA region, particularly at DQ-alpha and DQ-beta chain genes. Particular amino acid other than aspartic acid in position 57 of the DQ beta chain and the presence of an arginine in position 52 of the DQ alpha chain and to how these markers can be used to identify subjects at risk for developing IDDM. The identification of such subjects may be useful for the development of strategies aimed to prevent the disease and in addition may offer a new insight into population screening.
