Accuracy of anthropometric measurements and weight status perceptions reported by parents of 4-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of self-reported height and weight by parents of 4-year-old children and subjective weight perception. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING: Paediatric population living in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. PARTICIPANTS: Children born in 2008-2009 examined at 47-59 months of age. Data were collected by paediatricians of the Madrid Primary Care Physicians Sentinel Network. Parents reported weight and height data. Prevalence of weight status categories was calculated using WHO and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) reference criteria. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) were estimated. The appraisal of their child's weight perception and parental misperception were assessed. RESULTS: For 2914 children, reported height was underestimated by -1·38 cm, weight by -0·25 kg and BMI was overestimated by +0·41 kg/m2 on average. The prevalence of obesity estimated with reported data was 2·7 times higher than that calculated with measured data (16·2 v. 6·0 %) according to WHO classification, and 3·6 times higher with IOTF classification. Sensitivity to identify obesity was 70·5 %, specificity was 87·3 % and PPV was 26·2 % (WHO classification). Half of the parents of pre-schoolers with obesity failed to identify their child's weight status. Parental misperception among children classified as having overweight or obesity reached 93·0 and 58·8 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Parents underestimated children's height and weight, leading to an overestimation of the prevalence of obesity. Small inaccuracies in reported measures have an important effect for the estimation of population prevalences. Parents' report of child weight status is unreliable. Parental awareness and acknowledgement of child weight status should be improved.

VANISHING PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMA: MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES AFTER FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION.

OBJECTIVE: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a thyroid nodule is typically considered a benign procedure. Uncommonly, morphological changes can occur in the nodule or tissue after the procedure. These changes have been noted in tissues like thyroid, breast, lymph node, and prostate. The objective of this case report is to report the rare occurrence of thyroid cancer diagnosed on FNA, appearing as a necrotic mass after near total thyroidectomy and to emphasize the need for confirmation of diagnosis with histopathology. METHODS: A 69-year-old man was seen for a self-discovered neck mass. Thyroid ultrasound demonstrated a thyroid nodule with suspicious features. Ultrasound-guided FNA of the nodule was performed with a 22-gauge needle without immediate complications. RESULTS: The cytology was read as consistent with papillary thyroid cancer with a preoperative thyroglobulin level of 15,288 ng/mL (normal range is 1.6-55 ng/mL). After a near total thyroidectomy, histopathology revealed complete infarction of the tumor with no evidence of cancerous tissue remaining. Based on the pathology report, he was considered cured of the cancer and did not receive radioactive iodine therapy. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of tissue infarction following FNA of a thyroid nodule is rare, reportedly <2%. We conclude a review of the original cytology material and a thorough examination of remaining viable tissue be made. Complete evaluation for invasion of the capsule or surrounding tissue must be ascertained to decrease diagnostic errors.