PREGO (presentation of Graves' orbitopathy) study: changes in referral patterns to European Group On Graves' Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) centres over the period from 2000 to 2012.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The epidemiology of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) may be changing. The aim of the study was to identify trends in presentation of GO to tertiary centres and initial management over time. METHODS: Prospective observational study of European Group On Graves' Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) centres. All new referrals with a diagnosis of GO over a 4-month period in 2012 were included. Clinical and demographic characteristics, referral timelines and initial decisions about management were recorded. The data were compared with a similar EUGOGO survey performed in 2000. RESULTS: The demographic characteristics of 269 patients studied in 2012 were similar to those collected in the year 2000, including smoking rates (40.0% vs 40.2%). Mild (60.5% vs 41.2%, p<0.01) and inactive GO (63.2% vs 39.9%, p<0.01) were more prevalent in 2012. The times from diagnosis of thyroid disease to being seen in EUGOGO centres (6 vs 16 months) and from first symptoms of GO (9 vs 16 months) or from diagnosis of GO (6 vs 12 months) to first consultation in EUGOGO centres were shorter in 2012 (p<0.01). The initial management plans for GO were no different except surgical treatments for patients with mild inactive disease were more frequently offered in the 2012 cohort than in 2000 (27.3% vs 17%, p<0.05), and selenium supplements were offered only in the 2012 cohort (21.2% vs 0%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the clinical manifestations of patients with GO may be changing over time in Europe.

What's in the Image? Pituitary Metastasis from Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid: A Case Report and a Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

A 67-year-old female patient presented with visual field impairment and hyperprolactinemia. Imaging revealed a sellar and suprasellar mass and during the evaluation of the sellar lesion, papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy in a long-standing euthyroid multinodular goiter. The patient did not have a previous history of PTC. Total thyroidectomy confirmed the diagnosis of PTC. Due to progressive visual loss, she underwent transcranial surgery for decompression of the optic chiasm. Pituitary metastasis from PTC was confirmed, histologically and immunohistochemically. In literature, overall 13 cases, including ours, with PTC metastasis to the sellar region have been reported. Most were women, with a median age of 56 years. Two thirds of patients were previously diagnosed with PTC. The presence of other distant metastases was confirmed in less than half of the patients. Only 2 and our patient had immunohistochemical confirmation of PTC metastasis to the sellar region. The presenting signs and symptoms included: visual field defects, ophthalmoplegia, and anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies. In conclusion, this is a rare case of metastatic PTC to the sellar region unequivocally confirmed by immunohistochemistry in whom the disease first presented with a sellar and suprasellar mass.