Clinical Thyroidology for the Public summarizes selected research studies discussed in the previous month’s issue of Clinical Thyroidology, an official publication of the American Thyroid Association. Editor-in-chief, Alan Farwell, MD, FACE
Volume 17 Issue 7
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Clinical Thyroidology for the Public Volume 17 Issue 7 (PDF file, 3.33 MB)
TABLE OF CONTENTS – Web Format
GRAVES’ DISEASE
Thyroid antibody tests in the management of Graves’ disease
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body makes antibodies that attack and turn on the thyroid, causing the hyperthyroidism. These antibodies can be measured in the blood and have become valuable in confirming the diagnosis of Graves’ disease and in determining relapse risk and duration of antithyroid drug treatment. In this study, the researchers investigate the association between TPOAb and TgAb concentrations and disease relapse in patients with newly diagnosed Graves’ disease managed with antithyroid drugs.
Constantinescu SM et al Significance of thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies in medically treated Graves’ disease. Eur Thyroid J 2023;12(6):e230193; doi: 10.1530/ETJ-23- 0193. PMID: 37930957.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
Does selenium supplementation prevent hypothyroidism in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory process which means that the body makes antibodies that attack and destroy the thyroid. Selenium is a mineral found naturally in various foods that is important for making thyroid hormones and for normal thyroid function. Some studies have suggested that selenium supplementation may help stop the progression of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and slow the onset of hypothyroidism. This study is an analysis of prior studies that have been done to evaluate the effect of selenium supplementation on markers of thyroid function in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Huwiler VV et al. Selenium supplementation in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Thyroid. Epub 2024 Feb 16. doi: 10.1089/thy.2023.0556. PMID: 38243784.
THYROID IN PREGNANCY
Does treating subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy with levothyroxine improve pregnancy outcomes?
Overt hypothyroidism in pregnancy should always be treated with levothyroxine. However, despite multiple studies examining the subclinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy, it is still not clear whether subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy causes problems and whether treating subclinical hypothyroidism would improve these outcomes. The authors of this study evaluated findings of currently available trials to assess whether treating subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy with levothyroxine can improve poor pregnancy outcomes.
Sankoda A et al. Effects of levothyroxine treatment on fertility and pregnancy outcomes in subclinical hypothyroidism: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Thyroid Epub 2024 Feb 18; doi: 10.1089/ thy.2023.0546. PMID: 38368537
THYROID CANCER
The significance of the BRAF V600E mutation in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
In the past decade, significant research has focused on the role of key genetic mutations in cancer cells that influence cancer behavior. One such mutation in papillary thyroid cancer is the BRAF V600E mutation which has been observed in 27-87% of all papillary thyroid cancers. The present study examines whether the BRAF V600E mutation is associated with more aggressive papillary thyroid cancer.
Lai HF et al BRAF V600E mutation lacks association with poorer clinical prognosis in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. Epub 2024 Feb 1; doi: 10.1245/s10434-024- 14935-4. PMID: 38300401.
THYROID CANCER
Quality of life of patients after thyroid surgery and radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer
The vast majority of patients with the most common thyroid of thyroid cancer do very well as thyroid cancer generally tends to have very good outcomes. Because patients with thyroid cancer do so well, in recent years there has been an important discussion about the impact on the quality of life of these patients after thyroid surgery and radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer. This study was done to look at the standardized quality of life scores in patients with thyroid cancer.
Winter J et al. Five-year follow-up of health-related quality of life in differentiated thyroid cancer patients treated with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine in Sweden: A nationwide prospective cohort study. Thyroid 2024 Apr 5. Epub ahead of print; doi: 10.1089/thy.2023.0691. PMID: 38526369.
THYROID CANCER
Age affects cancer growth in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma under active surveillance
Many of the thyroid cancers identified are small cancers (<1 cm), called papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Recently, the option of following these small cancers with serial thyroid ultrasounds and deferring initial surgery unit the cancer grows, called active surveillance, has become more common. Using periodic ultrasound studies to determine cancer volume-doubling rate, this study was performed to examine the age-related cancer volume changes of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas under an active surveillance protocol.
Yamamoto M et al. Tumor volume-doubling rate is negatively associated with patient age in papillary thyroid microcarcinomas under active surveillance. Surgery 2023:S0039- 6060(23)00887-5; doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2023.11.022. PMID: 38142143.
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