Alemtuzumab induces severe orbitopathy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

CONTEXT: Treatment with Alemtuzumab (ALZ) in patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) is associated with the development of ALZ-induced Graves' disease (GD-ALZ). Some cases may develop associated Graves´ Orbitopathy (GO-ALZ), with possible visual compromise. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the main clinical and biochemical characteristics of GD-ALZ, as well as the clinical course of a case series of GO-ALZ METHODS: This study is a retrospective observational study, carried out in a reference hospital for the care of patients with RRMS in Spain. Cases treated with ALZ in the period 2014-2022 were included. GO-ALZ cases were identified among those with clinical symptoms compatible with thyroid eye disease after initiating ALZ treatment. RESULTS: A total of 135 cases, with a mean follow-up of 69.6 months after the first ALZ cycle, were included. The incidence of GD-ALZ was 32.6% (44/135), with a predominance of women (77.3%) and mean age of 41.9 years. The presence of first-degree relatives with hypothyroidism was identified as risk factor for the development of GD-ALZ (adjusted P-value: 0.02). GO-ALZ was diagnosed in 6 cases (incidence: 13.6%), of which 3 had severe clinical forms of GO, requiring anti-IL-6 treatment. A favorable response was reported in all of them, with a significant decrease in disease activity and improvement in proptosis. CONCLUSIONS: We report one of the largest cohorts of GD-ALZ and GO-ALZ cases. The diagnosis of these entities should be taken into account in patients treated with Alemtuzumab, given the risk of developing severe clinical forms. In moderate-severe forms of GO-ALZ, drugs with anti-IL-6 activity are a safe and effective option.

Consensus statement for use and technical requirements of thyroid ultrasound in endocrinology units. / Criterios sobre la utilización y requerimientos técnicos de la ecografía tiroidea en los servicios de endocrinología y nutrición.

Thyroid nodule detection has increased with widespread use of ultrasound, which is currently the main tool for detection, monitoring, diagnosis and, in some instances, treatment of thyroid nodules. Knowledge of ultrasound and adequate instruction on its use require a position statement by the scientific societies concerned. The working groups on thyroid cancer and ultrasound techniques of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition have promoted this document, based on a thorough analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies and expert consensus, in order to set the requirements for the best use of ultrasound in clinical practice. The objectives include the adequate framework for use of thyroid ultrasound, the technical and legal requirements, the clinical situations in which it is recommended, the levels of knowledge and learning processes, the associated responsibility, and the establishment of a standardized reporting of results and integration into hospital information systems and endocrinology units.

[Age of menopause in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer treated with radioiodine]. / Edad de menopausia en pacientes tratadas con I131 por cáncer diferenciado de tiroides.

INTRODUCTION: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is an increasingly frequent endocrinological disease. Radioiodine is a key component of treatment. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of I(131) therapy on ovarian and reproductive function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 202 women treated with radioiodine for DTC in our service from 1985-2008. Data on age at menopause in patients and their mothers and sisters, menstrual history, fertility and neonatal abnormalities were collected. RESULTS: Menopause occurred in 34 patients at follow-up. The mean age at menopause in patients was 49.94+/-3.45 while that in their mothers and sisters was 49.20+/-5.37 and 48.73+/-3.74 years, respectively. Three patients had transient amenorrhea. No infertility or neonatal alterations were found. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, menopause did not occur earlier in patients than in their first degree relatives. No significant alterations in neonatal health, fertility or menstruation were found.

[Usefulness of the determination of thyroglobulin in lymph node aspirates of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and positive antithyroglobulin antibodies]. / Utilidad de la determinación de tiroglobulina en aspirado de ganglios linfáticos de pacientes con carcinoma papilar de tiroides y anticuerpos antitiroglobulínicos positivos.

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to study the utility of thyroglobulin determination in the washout of fine needle aspiration (FNAB-Tg) of lymph metastatic nodes in patients with papillar thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and positive serum thyroglobulin antibodies (AbTg). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have studied 11 patients (49.9+/-11.8 years old, 70% females) with PTC and positive AbTg in which a whole-body scanning (WBS) after (131)I treatment showed pathological uptake in lymph cervical nodes. An ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) was performed for cytological research. Needle-washout with 1 ml ClNa 0.9% was employed to determine FNAB-Tg. RESULTS: In 16/17 suspicious nodes Tg-FNAB concentration was higher than 7 ng/dl (223.3+/-314.2 [7-1009]). AbTg were negative in the washout obtained. WBS was able to detect 94% lymphadenopathies, whereas 76.5% were detected with ultrasound and 70.6% using cytology. The FNAB-Tg was positive in 94% of nodules, which was higher than combining US and FNAB-cytology both together (88.2%). One hundred per cent of pathological nodules were detected using US plus FNAB-Tg. CONCLUSIONS: FNAB-Tg determination is an useful technique for diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes of patients with PTC and is unaffected by the presence of serum AbTg.