Effect of SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine on thyroid autoimmunity: A twelve-month follow-up study.

Objectives: Graves' disease (GD) has been highlighted as a possible adverse effect of the respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. However, it is unknown if the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine disrupts thyroid autoimmunity. We aimed to present long-term follow-up of thyroid autoimmunity after the SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Methods: Serum samples collected from seventy Japanese healthcare workers at baseline, 32 weeks after the second dose (pre-third dose), and 4 weeks after the third dose of the vaccine were analyzed. The time courses of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb), and thyroid function were evaluated. Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) were additionally evaluated in thirty-three participants. Results: The median age was 50 (IQR, 38-54) years and 69% were female. The median anti-spike IgG antibody titer was 17627 (IQR, 10898-24175) U/mL 4 weeks after the third dose. The mean TRAb was significantly increased from 0.81 (SD, 0.05) IU/L at baseline to 0.97 (SD, 0.30) IU/L 4 weeks after the third dose without functional changes. An increase in TRAb was positively associated with female sex (ß = 0.32, P = 0.008) and low basal FT4 (ß = -0.29, P = 0.02) and FT3 (ß = -0.33, P = 0.004). TgAb was increased by the third dose. Increase in TgAb was associated with history of the thyroid diseases (ß = 0.55, P <0.001). Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine can disrupt thyroid autoimmunity. Clinicians should consider the possibility that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may disrupt thyroid autoimmunity.

Revised optimal cut-off point of waist circumference for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome in Japanese women and the influence of height.

AIM: We reevaluated waist circumference as a diagnostic criterion of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Japanese. METHODS: We enrolled 5,571 subjects (3,148 men and 2,423 women) who had health check-ups in our center. The criterion was reevaluated using the positive predictive value of a receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve at 10 different hypothesized lengths of waist circumference with or without a cluster of risk factors. We also drew ROC curves based on the atherosclerotic findings of clinical examinations. RESULTS: Based on the ROC curves, the optimal waist circumference cut-off was 85 cm in men and 80 cm in women. Using this 80 cm cut-off point in women, misdiagnosis rates of MetS were lowered (-19.1--56.6%) compared to the cut-off point currently in use. Integrating the influence of height, namely by using a waist-to-height(2) ratio, misdiagnosis rates in shorter populations were decreased in both men and women. CONCLUSION: These data suggested an optimal waist circumference cut-off to improve the diagnostic probability of MetS in Japanese women of 80 cm, as well as the utility of an easily detected anthropometric index such as a waist-to-height (cm x 100/cm) or waist-to-height(2) (cm x 10,000/cm(2)) ratio, determined as 51 in men and 52 in women, or 30 in men and 33 in women, respectively.