ABSTRACT
A normal function of the thyroid gland during pregnancy is essential. Any change can affect both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in the brain development of the fetus, thus proper maternal free thyroid hormone levels are important especially during the first trimester. We compared the free thyroid hormone levels FT3 and FT4 in forty pregnant women with no thyroidal disease by five different assays available on the market. The blood samples were collected between the 8th and 22nd weeks of pregnancy. The correlation coefficient "r" between different assays was 0.908-0.975 for TSH, 0.676-0.892 for FT4 and 0.480-0.789 for FT3. These data show that the inter-assay results varied widely in the studied population. One reasonable explanation may be that during pregnancy the serum levels of the thyroid hormone binding proteins are altered and "free" hormone measurements by immunoassays are influenced by these alterations. Thus, the results may show higher or lower thyroid hormone values depending upon the assay used. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that every laboratory should establish its own pregnant reference ranges for the tests used for the evaluation of thyroid function, based on values of the population served.
Subject(s)
Thyroid Function Tests/methods , Thyroid Hormones/blood , Adult , Automation , Female , Humans , Immunoassay , Pregnancy , Reference Values , Thyrotropin/blood , Thyroxine/blood , Triiodothyronine/bloodABSTRACT
The authors report a case of bilateral primary malignant lymphoma of the breast presenting during pregnancy in a 24-year-old woman. After delivery of a healthy premature infant by Caesarean section, polychemotherapy was employed. The efficacy of the treatment could not be evaluated since the patient died within a very short period of time. Autopsy and histological examination revealed infiltration of Burkitt-type lymphoma in the breast, ovary, brain, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, pancreas, stomach, bone marrow and myocardium.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Burkitt Lymphoma/diagnosis , Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/diagnosis , Adult , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Burkitt Lymphoma/pathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/pathologyABSTRACT
The authors report a case of bilateral primary malignant lymphoma of the breast presenting during pregnancy in a 24-year-old woman. After the delivery of a healthy premature infant by Caesarean section, polychemotherapy was employed. The efficacy of the treatment could not be evaluated since the patient died within a very short period of time. Autopsy and histological examination revealed infiltration of Burkitt-type lymphoma in the breast, ovary, brain, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, pancreas, stomach, bone marrow and myocardium.