[Clinical importance of thyroid gland cytology]. / Klinische Bedeutung der Schilddrüsenzytologie.

The cytological evaluation of fine needle biopsies (FNB) of the thyroid gland crucially depends on a close cooperation between clinicians and cytopathologists. Scintigraphy, sonography as well as clinical data and patient history are necessary for a correct interpretation of the indications for FNB; moreover, these data are of outstanding importance for cytopathologists for the correct interpretation of the cytomorphological findings. This overview describes the present standards in the acquisition, technical workup and cytopathological interpretation of thyroid gland tissue obtained by FNB, particularly focusing on the rapidly growing relevance of additional molecular pathological investigations to increase the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid FNB.

[From Geomorphological Research in the Canton of Aargau to European Military Pathologies. Entangling Anthropological Discourses of Crisis through the Army, 1860-1900]. / Von der Geomorphologie des Aargau zu den militärischen Pathologien Europas. Das Militär als Schnittpunkt anthropologischer Krisendiskurse, 1860-1900.

Military statistics and medical research were closely related over the 19th century. The army not only made use of these new forms of knowledge, but also provided an important institutional setting through the military medicine, which was of crucial importance to medical research in the 19th century. Besides that, Swiss military also played a crucial role in new geographical and geological research, resulting in a series of new mapping projects. This article looks on the ways, in which military context gained influence on scientific research practices in the second half of the 19th century, by analyzing the case of Heinrich Bircher's work on military recruiting statistics and the endemic goiter. New mapping projects and statistical practices were linked, transforming big parts of the country into pathological spaces. Coming from this point, the article discusses in how far the military context lead to politicizing medical discourses and, furthermore, linked them to discourses of an anthropological crisis, common in many European countries.

Status of iodine deficiency among pregnant mothers in Himachal Pradesh, India.

OBJECTIVE: Iodine is an essential micronutrient needed for the production of thyroid hormones. Pregnant mothers who are deficient in iodine provide less iodine to the fetal thyroid. This results in low production of thyroid hormones by the fetal thyroid, thereby leading to compromised mental and physical development of the fetus. The current study aimed to assess the current status of iodine nutrition among pregnant mothers in Himachal Pradesh, India, a known endemic region for iodine deficiency. DESIGN: Three districts, namely Kangra, Kullu and Solan, were selected. SETTING: In each district, thirty clusters (villages) were identified by utilizing the population-proportional-to-size cluster sampling methodology. In each cluster, seventeen pregnant mothers attending the antenatal clinics were included. SUBJECTS: A total of 1711 pregnant mothers (647 from Kangra, 551 from Kullu and 513 from Solan) were studied. Clinical examination of the thyroid of each pregnant mother was conducted. Spot urine samples were collected from ten pregnant mothers in each cluster. Similarly, salt samples were collected from eleven pregnant mothers in each cluster. RESULTS: Total goitre rate was 42·2 % (Kangra), 42·0 % (Kullu) and 19·9 % (Solan). The median urinary iodine concentration was 200 µg/l (Kangra), 149 µg/l (Kullu) and 130 µg/l (Solan). The percentage of pregnant mothers consuming adequately iodized salt (iodine content of 15 ppm and more) was found to be 68·3 % (Kangra), 60·3 % (Kullu) and 48·5 % (Solan). CONCLUSION: Pregnant mothers in Kullu and Solan districts had iodine deficiency as indicated by a median urinary iodine concentration less than 150 µg/l.

[Experience of using phytopreparation Alba (root extract of the Potentilla alba) in complex treatment of thyroid pathology in children and adolescents].

This article presents the background for including phytopreparation Alba (root extract of the Potentilla alba) into complex treatment of thyroid pathology. The findings confirm visible reduction of size of the thyroid gland and normalizing its functions in children and adults with the thyroid gland with normal or enhanced function treated by Alba per oral.

[Imbalance of microelements and vitamins in adolescents with diffuse nontoxic goiter and biliary dyskinesia].

The purpose of the present work was to study the level of microelements and vitamins in adolescents with diffuse nontoxic goiter. It has been shown that comorbid biliary dyskinesia leads to significant dysregulation of vitamin and mineral metabolism: the level of essential elements was decreased and the level of toxic elements was increased. Comorbid biliary dyskinesia in adolescents with diffuse nontoxic goiter was accompanied by a disbalance of vitamins. The changes found in micronutrients have sex differences.

Incidental thyroid carcinoma in an endemic goiter area in Italy: histopathological features and predictors of a common finding.

PURPOSE: The occurrence and histopathological features of incidental thyroid carcinoma (ITC) vary considerably among populations from different geographical regions. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and histopathological characteristics of ITC in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for apparently benign thyroid diseases in an endemic goiter area in Italy. METHODS: A total of 649 consecutive patients (531 females and 118 males; mean age, 52.9 ± 11.0 years), who underwent thyroid surgery at the Endocrine Surgery Unit of the tertiary care "Renato Dulbecco" University Hospital (Catanzaro, Italy) in the period between years 2017 and 2022, were included in this retrospective study. A comprehensive histopathological examination was performed on surgically excised thyroid tissue. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify potential predictors of ITC. RESULTS: The histopathological examination revealed the presence of ITC in 81 patients, accounting for 12.5% of the total study population. The female to male ratio was found to be 6.4 to 1. Among the patients with ITC, 72 had papillary carcinoma (PTC), with 53 of these tumors being microcarcinomas (microPTC). Additionally, 5 patients had follicular thyroid carcinoma, 2 patients had low-risk follicular cell-derived thyroid neoplasms, 1 patient had an oncocytic carcinoma, and 1 patient had a medullary thyroid carcinoma. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between female sex and incidental microPTC. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide further evidence of the common occurrence of ITC, typically in the form of microPTC, among individuals who undergo thyroid surgery for apparently benign thyroid diseases.

Pathology and the surgical management of goitre in an endemic area initiating supplementary iodine nutrition.

UNLABELLED: Goitre in the West African sub-region is caused by iodine deficiency and goitrogens in the diet. Supplementary iodine nutrition on a mass scale was started in Ghana in 1996. In areas where iodine deficiency have been corrected the histological pattern of goitre changes and this influences surgical decision making. Data on the histological types of goitre in our institution is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To define the histopathological types of goitre in this initial period of iodine supplementation and relate this to the types of thyroid surgeries that were performed. METHODS: It was a prospective study of consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy from January 2003-December 2007. Descriptive statistics was employed in analyzing the data RESULTS: Five hundred and twenty eight cases were studied made up of 470 (89%) females and 58 (11%) males with mean age of 41.98 yrs, SD ± 12.90 yrs. The excised mean thyroid tissue weight was 161.4 g, SD ± 116.3 yrs. Hyperplastic goitres were 373 (70.7%), toxic goitre 70 (13.3%), adenoma 37 (7.0%), carcinoma 25 (4.7%) and thyroiditis 23 (4.4%). Papillary carcinoma accounted for 56% (14) cancers. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed in 278 (52.7%) of patients, near total thyroidectomy 107 (20.3%), lobectomy 98 (18.6%),total thyroidectomy 24 (4.5%), excision or completion thyroidectomy 20 (3.8%) and de-bulking 1 patient. Overall, complications occurred in 32 patients (6.1%) and were made up mostly of haemorrhage in 10 (1.9%), Hypocalcaemia 10 (1.9%), unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve(RLN) injury 3 (0.57%), Tracheal collapse 3 (0.57%) and Bilateral RLN injury 2 (0.4%). CONCLUSION: The introduction of iodine supplementation on a mass scale in Ghana is yet to have its fullest impact on thyroid diseases. Goitres are still large and cause pressure effects. Toxic, inflammatory and malignant goitres are gaining prominence, and surgery for malignant goitre was oncologically inadequate.Near total thyroidectomy is recommended as the minimum surgery to avert the need for completion thyroidectomies in view of the lack of preoperative pathological diagnosis of thyroid lesions.

Involvement of inducible costimulator ligand (ICOSL) expression in thyroid tissue in hyperthyroidism of Graves' disease patients.

BACKGROUND: The role of costimulatory molecules expressed on lymphocytes and thyrocytes in hyperthyroidism has attracted increasing attention and research has shown a close correlation between variant expression of these molecules on lymphocytes and thyrocytes and the development of GD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: [corrected] Thyroid tissues were collected from GD patients during surgery and from Hashimoto disease (HT) and non-toxic goiter (NTG) patients as controls. ICOSL expression on infiltrated B cells and TFC was detected by flow cytometry (FCM), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Variation in ICOSL expression on TFC in primary cultures was analyzed in the absence or presence of cytokines using FCM assays. The role of ICOS-ICOSL signaling in proliferation, thyroid hormone production and thyroglobulin (Tg) release was investigated in primary TFC cultures using ICOS gene transfected L929 cells (ICOS-L929 cells) and the blocking ICOSL antibody (11 C4) in MTT assays and radioimmunoassays. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: ICOSL expression on infiltrated B cells and TFC was detected in GD patient tissue. However, ICOSL expression was only detected on infiltrated B cells in control HT and NTG patient tissue. ICOSL expression on TFC was induced in vitro by the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-6 and TNF-α. Compared with mock transfected L929 (mock-L929) control cells, ICOS-L929 cells promoted significant proliferation of primary cultured TFC, with increased thyroid hormone and Tg production (all P < 0.01). TFC proliferation and production of thyroid hormones and Tg were inhibited significantly in the presence of ICOSL blocking antibody (11 C4) (all P < 0.05). Our observations suggest that ICOS-ICOSL signal plays a direct role in proliferation and differentiation of TFC and may exert important effects in the initiation, maintenance and exaggeration of autoimmune responses in local tissue.

Indications for surgery and significance of unrecognized cancer in endemic multinodular goiter.

BACKGROUND: The exclusion of cancer in endemic goiter is often difficult mainly because of the high number of nodules and the as-yet unclear natural history of diagnosed cancer in endemic goiter patients. In a large number of consecutive patients who were to undergo total thyroidectomy for endemic multinodular goiter, we assessed indications for surgery and thyroid cancer outcome. METHODS: All patients who were to undergo total thyroidectomy for diffuse multinodular goiter on histological examination between January 1990 and October 2008 were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 1,161 patients included in the study, 252 were cases of thyroid cancer (21.7%). Sensitivity of thyroid ultrasound (US) and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for cancer detection was 30.3 and 64.1%, respectively. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma accounted for most of the tumors (96%), with 54.8% of them being papillary microcarcinomas, while bilateral-multicentric cancer occurred in 20.3%. In multivariate analysis, younger age (p = 0.06), sonographic findings (p = 0.03), and presence of histological thyroiditis (p = 0.09) were independently associated with the occurrence of tumors with diameter greater than 2 cm. The percentage of transient and permanent postoperative complications were approximately 25 and below 2%, respectively. After a median follow-up time of 78.5 months, overall recurrence rate was 6.7% and disease-specific mortality was 1.2%. CONCLUSION: As US and FNAC did not consistently detect cancer in patients with diffuse multinodular goiter in our endemic area, evidence-based indications for surgery in this group of patients is needed, although radical surgery and favorable tumor histology offer favorable outcomes in commonly diagnosed thyroid cancer after total thyroidectomy for endemic multinodular goiter.

[Peculiarities of thyroid pathology in the childhood].

The paper deals with etiopathogenetic and clinical peculiarities, and also therapeutic methods during the pathological processes in the thyroid system in the childhood. The most common of these processes is the diffuse nontoxic goiter, which results in abnormality of metabolic processes regulation in the child's growing organism and often signals to the beginning of many thyropathies.

[When is thyroid fine-needle biopsy most effective?]. / Wann ist die Feinnadelbiopsie der Schilddrüse am effektivsten?

The essentially desirable standardisation of various European and American guidelines for the evaluation of thyroid nodules has led to the recommendation to perform fine-needle biopsy (FNB) in all nodules >1 cm in order to detect clinically occult thyroid carcinoma early. However, in iodine-deficient areas such as Germany (where thyroid nodules are found in approximately 25% of the adult population) this recommendation would substantially increase both the number of FNB and thyroid operations without significantly increasing the cancer detection rate. The recommendation for FNB in Germany, therefore, should be restricted to hypofunctioning ("cold") nodules >1 cm.

Effects of prophylaxis with iodised salt in an area of endemic goitre in north-eastern Sicily.

In developed countries, the use of iodised salt represents the best prophylaxis of endemic goitre in areas exposed to iodine deficiency. In the present study we re-evaluated goitre prevalence and iodine intake 10 years after the introduction of iodised salt in an area of goitre endemia in north-eastern Sicily (Italy), and we compared these results with those obtained in previous surveys. Three centres with known moderate goitre endemia (Bronte, Nicosia, and Gagliano) and three other smaller ones with severe goitre endemia (Sperlinga, Villadoro, and Maniace) were studied. We surveyed 697 schoolchildren. Goitre prevalence was assessed by thyroid palpation and by a thyroid ultrasound scan. Iodine urinary excretion was also measured. Iodised salt consumption was 44% of total salt consumption. Goitre prevalence assessed by thyroid palpation was significantly decreased in all towns studied compared to previous surveys. However, the persistence of a mild goitre endemia was observed in some small rural centres (5.8% in Sperlinga/Villadoro, and 11.4% in Maniace). Goitre prevalence evaluated by thyroid ultrasound scan was greater than 5% in all centres of the endemic area and was always greater than that assessed by thyroid palpation. Iodine urinary excretion was above 100 microg/l in all localities studied. In conclusion, our studies indicate a progressive reduction in goitre prevalence over a period of about 30 years in schoolchildren in a well-characterised endemic area in northeastern Sicily. The decrease in goitre prevalence was associated with a significant increase in urinary iodine excretion. However, it may be speculated that iodine deficiency is the pre-eminent, but not the exclusive cause of goitre endemia in this area.

Prevalence of malignancy in goitre--a review of 718 thyroidectomies.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid malignancies are a heterogeneous group oftumours which show considerable variability in biological behaviour, histological appearances and response to therapy. Thyroid cancer is uncommon and represents only 1% of all malignancies. Objective was to determine the prevalence of malignancy in patients presenting with goitre. This prospective, observational study was conducted at Department of Surgery, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi from January 1999 to December 2008. METHODS: All patients requiring surgery for goitre were included in the study. Postoperatively histopathologies of specimens were evaluated in all patients. RESULTS: 718 patients were operated and post operative histopathology specimens were reviewed. 2.92% of patients were found to have malignancy. Prevalence of papillary and follicular carcinoma was 33.33% each. Anaplastic carcinoma was found in 23.81% of patients followed by Hurthle cell carcinoma in 9.53% of patients. CONCLUSION: All postoperative thyroid specimens should be subjected to histopathology. Prevalence of follicular carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma is relatively higher in our country due to high incidence of iodine deficiency goitre.

The role of iodine in the evolution of thyroid disease in Greece: from endemic goiter to thyroid autoimmunity.

The thyroid gland is dependent on dietary iodine for the production of thyroid hormones, normal iodine requirement being about 150-200 microg/day. Long-term deficiency in iodine intake is associated with the development of goiter. When the prevalence of goiter in a population rises above 5-10%, the problem is considered endemic. Greece is a country with a recent history of moderate iodine deficiency, endemic goiter being prevalent in the 1960s in inhabitants of mountainous regions. Despite recognition of the problem, an iodine prophylaxis program was never officially implemented. Instead, "silent iodine prophylaxis" took place during the 1980s and 1990s with Greece's improvement in socioeconomic conditions. This resulted in the elimination of iodine deficiency and a parallel decrease in the prevalence of goiter among schoolchildren in formerly iodine deficient areas. However, the transition from iodine deficiency to iodine sufficiency or excess was followed by the emergence of autoimmune thyroiditis, especially among young girls, indicating that exposure to excess iodine may trigger thyroid autoimmunity. Thus, the modification of an environmental factor, ie dietary iodine, over the last 40 years in Greece has been associated with changes in the phenotypic expression of thyroid disease from endemic goiter to goiter associated with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Evaluation of goiter using ultrasound criteria: a survey in a middle schoolchildren population of a mountain area in Central Italy.

Iodine deficiency is still an important health care problem in the world. In Italy, as in most European countries, it is responsible for the development of mild to moderate endemic goiter. In 1995 we conducted a goiter survey in the Gubbio township, an area of Umbria region in Italy, close to the Appenine mountain chain. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of goiter in the middle schoolchildren population, indicating the presence of moderate endemic goiter. Soon after, a goiter prevention campaign aimed at implementing the consumption of iodinated salt was started. In 2001, a second survey was conducted in the middle schoolchildren (age 11-14 yr old) of Gubbio and neighbour townships. Eight hundred thirteen subjects were studied. Data obtained in 240 age-matched children, studied in the same area in 1995, were used for comparison to monitor changes 5 yr after the beginning of iodine prophylaxis. Thyroid volume was measured by ultrasonography. Gland volume was expressed in ml. A large population living in a iodine-sufficient area, previously reported by others, was used as control. Urinary iodine excretion was measured randomly in 20% of the children. The overall prevalence of goiter decreased between 1995 and 2001 from 29 to 8%. Goiter odds ratio (OR), corrected for age, was 4.0 (95% CI 2.8-5.9) for 1995 compared to 2001 (p<0.000). Mean thyroid volume in the matched populations was 7.6+/-2.5 ml in 1995 and 5.7+/-2.1 ml in 2001. Median iodine urinary excretion increased from 72.6 to 93.5 mug/l, at the limit of statistical significance. Living in a rural area, no consumption of iodized salt and familiarity for goiter represented independent risk factors for goiter development. This study was the first conducted in Umbria region and confirmed that an implementation campaign for iodized salt consumption is a simple and useful instrument to prevent endemic goiter and related diseases. A new survey to evaluate goiter prevalence in the same area 10 yr after the beginning of iodine prophylaxis is already planned.

The effects of curvature and constriction on airflow and energy loss in pathological tracheas.

This paper considers factors that play a significant role in determining inspiratory pressure and energy losses in the human trachea. Previous characterisations of pathological geometry changes have focussed on relating airway constriction and subsequent pressure loss, however many pathologies that affect the trachea cause deviation, increased curvature, constriction or a combination of these. This study investigates the effects of these measures on tracheal flow mechanics, using the compressive goitre (a thyroid gland enlargement) as an example. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed in airways affected by goitres (with differing geometric consequences) and a normal geometry for comparison. Realistic airways, derived from medical images, were used because idealised geometries often oversimplify the complex anatomy of the larynx and its effects on the flow. Two mechanisms, distinct from stenosis, were found to strongly affect airflow energy dissipation in the pathological tracheas. The jet emanating from the glottis displayed different impingement and breakdown patterns in pathological geometries and increased loss was associated with curvature.

Thyroid cancer with skull enlargement: a lesson learned?

A case of endemic goitre associated with thyroid cancer and huge enlargement of the scalp is reported in a Brazilian mulatto from an iodine deficient Central west region of the country. On admission, osteolytic metastases of follicular thyroid carcinoma were found scattered in the parietal bones. Impressive images from old files could illustrate and emphasize the hurdle-like role of poverty and inadequate social and cultural attitudes before the fight against cancer in regions with limited resources. Even in developed countries, goitres still occur in areas with iodine prophylaxis. Another concern is insufficiency of reliable data on the incidence and pattern of head and neck tumours in developing countries.