The effects of fine-needle biopsy on thyroid hormone levels.

OBJECTIVE: Our study aim was to investigate the effects of fine-needle biopsy used for thyroid nodules on serum thyroid hormone levels. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 25 patients who had solid nodules of the thyroid gland and normal thyroid hormone levels underwent diagnostic fine-needle biopsy for a nodule of the thyroid gland. METHODS: Venous blood samples were drawn from the cases for measurement of serum total T(3) and T(4), free T(3) and T(4), thyroid-stimulating hormone, and thyroglobulin levels before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after the initial biopsy. RESULTS: Total T(3) and thyroglobulin levels were found to be significantly higher immediately and 30 minutes following fine-needle aspiration biopsy, compared to the baseline levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Preliminary data suggest that thyroid hormone levels show a mean increase of about 20% immediately after fine-needle aspiration. SIGNIFICANCE: The implication of this finding on patient care should be determined on an individual basis.

Meniere's disease and allergy: allergens and cytokines.

The aim of this article is to evaluate the role of allergy in the pathogenesis of Meniere's disease by means of cytokine profiles, allergic parameters and lymphocyte subgroups. A total of 46 patients aged between 26-68 years diagnosed with Meniere's disease between 1993-2002 were recruited to this study. The control group consisted of 46 healthy volunteers who were from the same age group, living in the same region and possessing similar socioeconomic indicators. Lymphocyte subgroups were measured from the peripheral blood by employing Becton Dickinson (BD) monoclonal CD4, CD8, CD23 antibodies. IFN-gamma, IL4, total IgE levels, and specific IgE levels pertaining to tree, fungus, fruit, egg-white, cow's milk, wheat flour, corn flour, beef, and rice allergens, in all seasons, were measured and compared in the patient and control groups. In patient serum samples there were positive correlations between CD23 and IgE, CD8 and IgE, CD4/CD8 and IgE, and CD23 and CD8 (p <0.01). There were negative correlations between IL-4 and IFN-gamma, IFN-gamma and IgE, and a positive correlation between IL-4 and IgE. Total IgE levels were above the normal values in 19/46 (41.3 per cent) of the patient group, but the ratio was nine out of 46 (19.5 per cent) in the control group. A history of allergy was found in 31/46 (67.3 per cent) when the patients were questioned. The ratio of a history of allergy was 16/46 (34.7 per cent) in the control group. When specific IgE levels were evaluated the ratio of patients with all the panels negative was eight out of 46 (17.9 per cent), but it was 31/46 (67.3 per cent) in the control group. This study found that the prevalence of allergy was higher in patients with Meniere's disease than in the control group. Thus the authors suggest that allergy should be taken into account when patients with this disease are treated.