First Measurement Using Elliptically Polarized Photons of the Double-Polarization Observable E for γp→pπ

We report the measurement of the helicity asymmetry E for the pπ^{0} and nπ^{+} final states using, for the first time, an elliptically polarized photon beam in combination with a longitudinally polarized target at the Crystal Ball experiment at MAMI. The results agree very well with data that were taken with a circularly polarized photon beam, showing that it is possible to simultaneously measure polarization observables that require linearly (e.g., G) and circularly polarized photons (e.g., E) and a longitudinally polarized target. The new data cover a photon energy range 270-1400 MeV for the pπ^{0} final state (230-842 MeV for the nπ^{+} final state) and the full range of pion polar angles, θ, providing the most precise measurement of the observable E. A moment analysis gives a clear observation of the pη cusp in the pπ^{0} final state.

[Iodine therapy for iodine deficiency goiter and autoimmune thyroiditis. A prospective study]. / Jodtherapie der Jodmangelstruma und Autoimmunthyreoiditis. Eine prospektive Studie.

PROBLEM: There is epidemiological and clinical evidence that iodine may induce or promote the manifestation of autoimmune thyroiditis. For this reason it is important to know if substitution of alimentary iodine deficiency or iodine treatment of endemic goitre can cause formation of thyroid antibodies. On the other hand the practical importance of this phenomenon should be evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a prospective study we examined 209 patients with endemic non-toxic goitre and 53 healthy people. For treatment were used 200 micrograms iodine/d (n = 119), 500 micrograms iodine/d (n = 27), 1.5 mg iodine/week (n = 41), 150 micrograms iodine/d plus 75 to 100 micrograms T4/d (n = 26), 100 micrograms iodine plus 100 micrograms T4/d (n = 24). The observation took 1 year with a 3-month interval for check ups including clinical examination, ultrasound, TSH, T3, fT4, TPO- and thyreoglobuline antibodies and urinary iodine. RESULTS: After 12 months 7.5% of iodine treated persons had produced antibodies, most of them at low levels. In healthy people we found increased antibody-levels in 3.8%, in patients with goitre in 9.0%, in patients with nodular goitres in 11.1%. 500 micrograms iodine caused the most antibody reaction in 14.8%. People treated with 200 micrograms iodine/d showed positive antibody levels in 5%. T4 seems to reduce antibody-reactions. Pathological antibody-levels were not found in patients with combined iodine/T4- and single-T4 therapy. Among the 22 primary pathological antibody levels only 4 increased further (18.2%). Three of them belonged to the group of 5 persons treated with 500 micrograms iodine/d. Primary high antibody values were normalized in 5 patients (22.7%). Hypothyroid disturbances were not found. Ultrasound did not show any alterations, and the reduction of thyroid volumes in antibody-positive patients was not affected. Median urinary iodine excretion during the observation-interval was 5.2 to 7.2 micrograms/dl. CONCLUSIONS: Possible antibody reactions have no clinical importance at all. Individual cases must be observed. Low iodine doses should be preferred. Combined iodine/T4 treatment seems to have an advantage regarding immunological thyroidal reactions.

Replacement therapy with levothyroxine plus triiodothyronine (bioavailable molar ratio 14 : 1) is not superior to thyroxine alone to improve well-being and cognitive performance in hypothyroidism.

OBJECTIVES: There is evidence from recent controlled clinical studies that replacement therapy of hypothyroidism with T4 in combination with a small amount of T3 may improve the well-being of the patients. As the issue is still the subject of controversial discussion, our study was assigned to confirm the superiority of a physiological combination of thyroid hormones (absorbed molar ratio 14 : 1) over T4 alone with regard to mood states and cognitive functioning. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: After a run-in period with the T4 study medication for 4 weeks, a controlled, randomized, double-blind, two-period (each 12 weeks), cross-over study without washout between the treatment periods was performed in 23 hypothyroid patients (three males, 20 females, age 23-69 years, 21 subjects after surgery/radioiodine, two with autoimmune thyroiditis) to compare the effects of the previous individual T4 dose (100-175 micro g) with a treatment in which 5% of the respective T4 dose was substituted by T3. MEASUREMENTS: Standard hormonal characteristics and standardized psychological tests to quantify mood and cognitive performance were measured after the run-in period and at the end of each treatment period. In 12 subjects, the concentration-time profiles of fT3 and fT4 were compared after the last administration of the respective study medication. TSH, fT3 and fT4 were measured with immunological assays. CLINICAL RESULTS: Replacement therapy with T4 and T4/T3 was not different in all steady-state hormonal, metabolic and cardiovascular characteristics except for TSH, which was more suppressed after T4/T3. The efficacy of replacement therapy with the T4/T3 combination was not different from the T4 monotherapy with regard to all psychological test scores describing mood and cognitive functioning of the patients. Mood was even significantly impaired by the T4/T3 combination in eight subjects, with TSH < 0.02 mU/l, compared to patients with normal TSH (Beck Depression Inventory: 8.25 +/- 5.01 vs. 4.07 +/- 5.60, P = 0.026). PHARMACOKINETIC RESULTS: The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0-8h)) of fT3 was significantly higher after T4/T3 compared to the T4 monotherapy (42.8 +/- 9.03 pmol x h/l vs. 36.3 +/- 8.50 pmol x h/l, P < 0.05) and was significantly correlated to serum TSH (r(s) = -0.609, P < 0.05). After T4/T3, patients with a history of Graves' disease or autoimmune thyroiditis had significantly higher serum trough levels of fT3 whereas the fT4 concentrations were significantly lower in patients with a nonautoimmune background. CONCLUSION: Replacement therapy of hypothyroidism with T4 plus T3 does not improve mood and cognitive performance compared to the standard T4 monotherapy. There is even a higher risk of signs of subclinical hyperthyroidism associated with impaired well-being of the patients, which is clearly caused by significant fluctuations in the steady-state fT3 serum concentrations.