Inequitable Long-Term Outcomes for an Indigenous Population After Definitive Treatment of Patients With Graves Disease.

BACKGROUND: Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand, have an increased incidence of Graves disease and often require more than one radioiodine (RAI) dose, raising the question as to whether surgery may be preferable in this population. However, there is a lack of outcome data after definitive therapy in an indigenous population. AIM: To assess ethnic differences in thyroid status after definitive therapy for Graves disease. METHODS: Single-center retrospective review of patients treated by RAI or thyroidectomy from 1 December 2001 to 31 March 2013. TSH levels at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years after treatment were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 798 patients were included: 589 received RAI, and 209 underwent surgery. Overall, 48% of patients were euthyroid at 1 year after definitive treatment, and 63.5% were euthyroid by 10 years. Maori were less likely to be euthyroid when compared with Europeans at all time points (e.g., 29.7% vs 57.3% at 1 year and 52.2% vs 70.9% at 10 years, P < 0.0005). Maori were more likely to receive more than one dose of RAI compared with Europeans (30.2% vs 14.2%, P < 0.0005). Persistent thyrotoxicosis at 1 year after RAI was seen in 25.8% of Maori compared with 8.3% of Europeans (P < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Maori have lower rates of optimal thyroid levels than their European counterparts at all time points studied. Early disparity was associated with a higher RAI failure rate. Late differences were due to higher rates of untreated hypothyroidism. Overall, euthyroid rates were low, indicating the need for improvement in care, particularly for indigenous peoples.

Experiencia clínica en tiroidectomía total / Clinical experience in total thyroidectomy

Introducción: La tiroidectomía total es una de las cirugías más frecuentes en cabeza y cuello. La experiencia en servicios de ORL es escasa en Chile. Objetivo: Analizar la experiencia clínica en tiroidectomía total en el Servicio de ORL del Hospital Guillermo Grant Benavente. Material y método: Estudio descriptivo prospectivo. Evaluación de los aspectos clínicos, la técnica quirúrgica y el porcentaje de complicaciones de los pacientes sometidos a tiroidectomía total durante el año 2009. Resultados: Se realizaron 34 tiroidectomías totales. La indicación más frecuente fue bocio multinodular (82,3 por ciento). Los diagnósticos más frecuentes fueron hiperplasia folicular (44 por ciento) y carcinoma papilar (32 por ciento). Se presentó lesión del nervio laríngeo recurrente transitoria en 8,8 por ciento, no se presentaron lesiones permanentes. Se presentó hipocalcemia transitoria en 29 por ciento y permanente en sólo un paciente (2,9 por ciento). Conclusiones: Nuestra experiencia presenta resultados en relación a indicaciones, diagnósticos y complicaciones concordantes con los estándares aceptados por la literatura mundial.

Introduction: Total thyroidectomy is one of the most frequent surgeries in head and neck. Experience in ENT services is scarce in Chile. Aim: To analyze clinical experience in total thyroidectomy in the ENT service of Guillermo Grant Benavente Hospital. Material and method: Prospective descriptive study. Evaluation of clinical aspects, surgical technique and percentage of complications of patients submitted to total thyroidectomy during the year 2009. Results: There were done 34 total thyroidectomies. The most frequent indication was multinodular goiter. The most frequent diagnoses were follicular hyperplasia (44 percent) and papillary carcinoma (32 percent). Transitory injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve was present in 8,8 percent. Permanent injuries did not happen. Transitory hypocalcemia was present in 29 percent and permanent in only one patient (2,9 percent). Conclusions: Our experience presents results in relation to indications, diagnosis and complications, in accordance with the standards of the world literature.

Fatores preditores de malignidade em neoplasias de células de Hurthle / Predictor factors of malignancy in Hürthle cell neoplasms

OBJETIVO: neoplasias de células de Hurthle são tumores da glândula tireóide de baixa incidência que apresentam muitas controvérsias quanto à distinção entre carcinomas e adenomas. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar fatores preditores de malignidade neste tipo específico de neoplasia. MÉTODOS: entre janeiro de 1999 e junho de 2006, 56 casos de neoplasia de células de Hurthle foram diagnosticados em nossa instituição e foram estudados retrospectivamente. RESULTADOS: trinta e sete pacientes apresentaram diagnóstico patológico de adenoma de células de Hurthle (ACH), enquanto 19 casos foram diagnosticados como carcinoma de células de Hurthle (CCH). No grupo de pacientes com adenomas a idade média foi de 47,8 anos, sendo que trinta e cinco (94 por cento) eram do sexo feminino e apenas dois (5,5 por cento) casos do sexo masculino. O tamanho médio dos adenomas foi de 2,1 cm variando de 0,3 a 6,0 cm. Entre os 19 casos de carcinomas a média de idade foi de 51,1 anos, sendo quatorze casos em mulheres (73 por cento) e cinco em homens (26,4 por cento). O tamanho médio dos nódulos neste grupo foi de 3,8 cm, variando de 2,0 cm a 7,5 cm. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com neoplasias de células de Hurthle apresentando nódulos maiores que três centímetros, principalmente em homens, apresentam maior risco de malignidade.

BACKGROUND: Hürthle cell neoplasms are uncommon thyroid gland tumors that present a diagnostic challenge due to difficulties to differentiate between adenomas and carcinomas. The purpose of this study is to identify preoperative predictor factors of malignancy. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients and tumor characteristics of 56 Hürthle cell tumors cases diagnosed in our institution between January 1999 and June 2006 was done. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients presented with adenoma, 35 women (94.5 percent) and 2 men (4.5 percent) with average age of 47.8 years. Medium tumor size in this group was 2.1 cm (ranging from 0.3 to 6.0 cm). Nineteen patients with Hürthle cell carcinoma were found in this series with 14 (73 percent) female and 5 male patients with average age of 51.1 years. Tumor size in this group ranged between 2.0 and 7.5 cm (medium of 3.8 cm). CONCLUSION: Patients with Hürthle cell neoplasm nodules larger than 3.0 cm, in the greatest diameter, especially in male patients, are predictor factors of having malignancy.