CLINICAL THYROIDOLOGY FOR THE PUBLIC
A publication of the American Thyroid Association
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
Welcome to another issue of Clinical Thyroidology for the Public. In this journal, we will bring to you the most up-to-date, cutting edge thyroid research. We also provide even faster updates of late-breaking thyroid news through Twitter at @thyroidfriends and on Facebook. Our goal is to provide patients with the tools to be the most informed thyroid patient in the waiting room. Also check out our friends in the Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education. The Alliance member groups consist of: the American Thyroid Association, Bite Me Cancer, the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation, the Light of Life Foundation, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Thyroid Cancer Canada, Thyroid Cancer Alliance and Thyroid Federation International.
The American Thyroid Association (ATA) extends its appreciation to all of the patients and their families that are part of the ATA community — our Friends of the ATA. It is for you that the ATA is dedicated to carrying out our mission of providing reliable thyroid information and resources, clinical practice guidelines for thyroid detection and treatments, resources for connecting you with other patients affected by thyroid conditions, and cutting edge thyroid research as we search for better diagnoses and treatment outcomes for thyroid disease and thyroid cancer.
As we think of all those who make a difference in our lives this holiday season, we thank you for being part of the ATA family and for all of the Friends of the ATA who support our mission and work throughout the year to support us. We invite you to help keep the ATA mission strong by choosing to make a donation that suits you – it takes just one moment to give online at: www.thyroid.org/donate and all donations are put to good work. The ATA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and your gift is tax deductible.
May is International Thyroid Awareness Month. Celebrate World Thyroid Day is on May 25!
In this issue, the studies ask the following questions:
- Is iodine content in prenatal vitamins adequate?
- Does adequate levothyroxine therapy in hypothyroid mothers
improve pregnancy outcomes? - Does treatment of hyperthyroidism affect the risk for cardiac problems?
- Does levothyroxine therapy affect the death rate in patients with heart failure?
- Can low risk thyroid cancers be safely watched without surgery?
- Can a new radiology grading system decrease the need for biopsy of thyroid nodules discovered on PET scans?
We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let us know what you want to see in this publication. I hope you find these summaries interesting and informative.
— Alan P. Farwell, MD, FACE
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