Objective Analysis Of Voice Quality In Patients With Thyroid Pathology.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to analyze the voice in patients with thyroid pathology through two objective indexes with great diagnostic accuracy. Overall vocal quality was evaluated with the Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI v.03.01) and the breathy voice with the Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI). DESIGN: Observational case-control study. SETTING: Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-eight subjects, 29 controls and 29 thyroidectomy candidates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All participants with thyroid pathology completed the Spanish version of Voice Handicap Index-10. Also, patient complaints relating to possible laryngeal dysfunction were assessed through closed questions. A sustained vowel and three phonetically balanced sentences were recorded for each subject (118 samples). AVQI v.03.01 and ABI were assessed using the Praat program. Two raters perceptually evaluated each voice sample by using the Grade parameter of GRABS scale. RESULTS: Acoustic analysis shows that 55.17% of subjects present values above the pathological threshold of the AVQI, and 58.62% above that of the ABI. Results of the Student's test comparisons of the AVQI and ABI values between the control group and the thyroid group show significantly higher values of AVQI (t[56]  = -3.85, p < .001) and ABI (t[54.39]  = -4.82, p < .001) in thyroidectomy candidates. CONCLUSION: A mild decrease in vocal quality is part of the symptomatology presented by thyroidectomy candidates.

THYROID DISEASE IN THE LATE OBSERVATION PERIOD UPON CHEMO AND RADIOTHERAPY IN CHILDREN/SURVIVORS OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA. / KhVOROBY ShchYTOPODIBNOÏ ZALOZY PISLIa KhIMIO TA PROMENEVOÏ TERAPIÏ U DITEI, IaKI PERENESLY GOSTRU LIMFOBLASTNU LEIKEMIIu, U VIDDALENOMU PERIODI SPOSTEREZhENNIa.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the thyroid disease in the late observation period in children who had received chemo- andradiotherapy for the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) taking into account gender, age period and disease sub-type. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The incidence and nature of thyroid disease (hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, and thyroid can-cer) were studied in children-survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) being in remission from 6 to 25 years.The distribution of patients by leukemia subtypes was as follows: «common¼ - 67.4 %, pre-B - 23.9 %, pro-B andT-cell - 4.3 %. Children had been receiving chemo- and radiotherapy according to the protocol. Regarding the ageof patients at the time of ALL diagnosis the prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal periods were taken into account.The endocrine diseases in family history, body weight at birth, serum content of free thyroxine, pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone, cortisol, iron, ferritin and thyroperoxidase antibodies were evaluated and assayed. RESULTS: Thyroid disease in children was emerging in the first 2-3 years after the ALL treatment with an incidenceof 22.8 % (hypothyroidism - 14.1 %, autoimmune thyroiditis - 7.6 %, papillary cancer - 1.1 %). Seven children inthis group had received radiotherapy (12-18 Gy doses) on the central nervous system (CNS). No correlation wasfound between the radiation exposure event itself, radiation dose to the CNS and thyroid disease in the long-termfollow-up period. Thyroid cancer had developed in a child 11 years upon chemo- and radiotherapy. Hypothyroidismwas more often diagnosed in the patients of prepubertal age (rs = 0.49). There were endocrine diseases in thefamily history in about a half of children, being significantly higher than in the general sample (р < 0.05). The bodyweight at birth of a child who had later developed hypothyroidism was less than in children having got thyroiditis(rs = 0.57). CONCLUSIONS: Disorders in endocrine regulation and of thyroid in particular can affect the prognosis of blood can-cer course in the long-term follow-up in children, especially in prepubertal age, which requires systematic supervi-sion by hematologist and endocrinologist.

A Prospective Observational Study of 42 Patients with COVID-19 infection and a History of Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Thyroid Disease with Follow-Up Thyroid Function and Autoantibody Testing.

BACKGROUND Thyroiditis is an important extrahepatic association in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There have been reports of an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the onset or re-activation of autoimmune hypothyroidism. Therefore, we performed this prospective observational study of 42 patients with COVID-19 infection and a history of hepatitis C virus infection and thyroid disease with follow-up thyroid function and autoantibody testing. MATERIAL AND METHODS From April 2020 to October 2020, we performed a prospective observational study of patients with cured hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and documented thyroid disease who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 (confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection via reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCT] from the upper respiratory tract, both nasal and pharyngeal swabs). Evaluation at 1 and 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection included serum determination of antithyroid antibodies (anti-thyroglobulin [anti-Tg] and antithyroid peroxidase [ATPO]), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and evaluation of thyroid medication, with dose adjustment if required. RESULTS One-month follow-up showed that both patients with autoimmune thyroiditis as well as patients without antibodies had increased ATPO levels. Also, levels of TSH, fT3, and fT4 were significantly decreased. At 3-month follow-up, levels of ATPO were decreased in all patient groups and the levels of thyroid hormones increased to normal values. CONCLUSIONS This study supports previous reports of an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and thyroid dysfunction associated with thyroid autoantibodies. Thyroid function tests may be considered as part of the laboratory work-up in patients with COVID-19.

National cohort and meteorological data based nested case-control study on the association between air pollution exposure and thyroid cancer.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of exposure to meteorological conditions, including air pollution, on thyroid cancer. A nested case-control study was conducted utilizing 4632 patients with thyroid cancer and 18,528 control subjects who were matched at a 1:4 ratio by age group, sex, income, and region of residence. Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort data from 2002 to 2015 were used. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for thyroid cancer correlated with meteorological and air pollution exposure over a moving average of 3 years before the index dates. For all participants, the adjusted ORs associated with relative humidity (1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, P value = 0.023), ambient atmospheric pressure (1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03, P value < 0.001), and sunshine duration (1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31, P value = 0.007) indicated correlations with the occurrence of thyroid cancer; however, these results were inconsistent in the subgroup analyses. Overall, exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (1.33, 95% CI 1.24-1.43, P value < 0.001) and particulate matter (PM10) (0.64, 95% CI 0.60-0.69, P value < 0.001) were related to thyroid cancer. These relationships persisted in the subgroup analyses. In conclusion, thyroid cancer occurrence was positively associated with NO2 exposure and negatively associated with PM10 exposure.

Prevalence and incidence of physical health conditions in people with intellectual disability - a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize evidence on the prevalence and incidence of physical health conditions in people with intellectual disability (ID). METHODS: We searched Medline, PsycInfo, and Embase for eligible studies and extracted the prevalence, incidence, and risk of physical health conditions in people with ID. RESULTS: Of 131 eligible studies, we synthesized results from 77 moderate- to high-quality studies, which was mainly limited to high-income countries. The highest prevalence estimates were observed for epilepsy, ear and eye disorders, cerebral palsy, obesity, osteoporosis, congenital heart defects, and thyroid disorders. Some conditions were more common in people with a genetic syndrome. Compared with the general population, many health conditions occur more frequently among people with ID, including asthma and diabetes, while some conditions such as non-congenital circulatory diseases and solid cancers occur at the same or lower rate. The latter associations may reflect under-detection. CONCLUSIONS: People with ID have a health profile more complex than previously known. There is a pressing need for targeted, evidence-informed population health initiatives including preventative programs for this population.

The role of vitamin D in selected autoimmune diseases.

The authors of recently published scientific papers are focusing increasingly often on the effect of vitamin D on immune processes. In the case of deficiencies of this vitamin, an imbalance in the immune system is observed, which is associated with the intensification of the inflammatory reaction in the body and the increased possibility of an autoimmune reaction. Therefore, due to the growing interest of scientists in the relationship between the effects of vitamin D and the development of autoimmune diseases, this paper considers the use of Vitamin D in autoimmune therapies. However, the mechanism of vitamin D on individual autoimmune diseases has not been elucidated so far, therefore there is a need for further research. The importance of maintaining normal plasma vitamin D levels to reduce the risk of developing autoimmune diseases has been demonstrated by the authors of other studies. They showed that vitamin D levels influenced the course, severity of symptoms and frequency of relapses of autoimmune thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Thyroid and COVID-19: a review on pathophysiological, clinical and organizational aspects.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid dysfunction has been observed in patients with COVID-19, and endocrinologists are requested to understand this clinical issue. Pandemic-related restrictions and reorganization of healthcare services may affect thyroid disease management. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To analyze and discuss the relationship between COVID-19 and thyroid diseases from several perspectives. PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, ClinicalTrial.gov were searched for this purpose by using free text words and medical subject headings as follows: "sars cov 2", "covid 19", "subacute thyroiditis", "atypical thyroiditis", "chronic thyroiditis", "hashimoto's thyroiditis", "graves' disease", "thyroid nodule", "differentiated thyroid cancer", "medullary thyroid cancer", "methimazole", "levothyroxine", "multikinase inhibitor", "remdesivir", "tocilizumab". Data were collected, analyzed, and discussed to answer the following clinical questions: "What evidence suggests that COVID-19 may induce detrimental consequences on thyroid function?"; "Could previous or concomitant thyroid diseases deteriorate the prognosis of COVID-19 once the infection has occurred?"; "Could medical management of thyroid diseases influence the clinical course of COVID-19?"; "Does medical management of COVID-19 interfere with thyroid function?"; "Are there defined strategies to better manage endocrine diseases despite restrictive measures and in-hospital and ambulatory activities reorganizations?". RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 may induce thyroid dysfunction that is usually reversible, including subclinical and atypical thyroiditis. Patients with baseline thyroid diseases are not at higher risk of contracting or transmitting SARS-CoV-2, and baseline thyroid dysfunction does not foster a worse progression of COVID-19. However, it is unclear whether low levels of free triiodothyronine, observed in seriously ill patients with COVID-19, may worsen the disease's clinical progression and, consequently, if triiodothyronine supplementation could be a tool for reducing this burden. Glucocorticoids and heparin may affect thyroid hormone secretion and measurement, respectively, leading to possible misdiagnosis of thyroid dysfunction in severe cases of COVID-19. High-risk thyroid nodules require a fine-needle aspiration without relevant delay, whereas other non-urgent diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions should be postponed. DISCUSSION: Currently, we know that SARS-CoV-2 could lead to short-term and reversible thyroid dysfunction, but thyroid diseases seem not to affect the progression of COVID-19. Adequate management of patients with thyroid diseases remains essential during the pandemic, but it could be compromised because of healthcare service restrictions. Endocrine care centers should continuously recognize and classify priority cases for in-person visits and therapeutic procedures. Telemedicine may be a useful tool for managing patients not requiring in-person visits.

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Thyroid and female infertility: more questions than answers?!

Severe thyroid dysfunction may lead to menstrual disorders and infertility via direct and indirect interactions with the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis and the reproductive organs. However, the exact prevalence of infertility in women with thyroid disorders remains unknown. Fertility problems may persist even after restoring normal thyroid function, and then surgery and/or an assisted reproductive technology (ART) may be necessary to obtain a pregnancy. The initial step in an ART treatment is the ovarian stimulation, putting strain on the thyroid gland, potentially leading to (permanent) hypothyroidism in women with thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) or when already treated with thyroid hormones (LT4). Moreover, women with ovarian and unexplained causes of infertility have a higher prevalence of TAI. In women treated with LT4, a serum TSH level <2.5 mIU/L should be targeted before ART. In women with TSH levels >4.0 mIU/L, fertilisation rates, embryo quality and live birth rates may be impaired but also improved with LT4 therapy. In euthyroid women with TAI, LT4 should not be given systematically, but on a case-by-case basis if serum TSH is >2.5 mIU/L. For all of the above reasons, women of infertile couples should be screened routinely for the presence of thyroid disorders. In this review, we will focus on the gaps in the current knowledge, the remaining questions on the associations between thyroid (disorders) and (assisted) reproduction and make proposals for future investigations that may lead to a better understanding and contribute to novel treatment options in the long term.

Relationship of Preoperative Thyroid Dysfunction to Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

CONTEXT: Thyroid function may be assessed in children before cardiac surgery because of concerns that hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis might adversely affect cardiac function perioperatively. However, the relationship between preoperative thyroid dysfunction and surgical outcomes is unknown. OBJECTIVE: Determine the relationship between preoperative thyroid dysfunction and outcomes of pediatric cardiac surgery. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study (January 2005 to July 2019). SETTING: Academic pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: All patients <19 years old who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and had thyrotropin (TSH) measured within 14 days preoperatively. Exclusion criteria included neonates (≤30 days), preoperative extracorporeal life support, salvage operations, or transplantation procedures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects were stratified by preoperative TSH concentration (mIU/L): low (<0.5), normal (0.5-5), mildly high (5.01-10), or moderately high (>10). Outcomes were compared among subjects with normal TSH (control) and each group with abnormal TSH concentrations. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and operative complications. RESULTS: Among 592 patients analyzed, preoperative TSH was low in 15 (2.5%), normal in 347 (58.6%), mildly high in 177 (29.9%), and moderately high in 53 (9.0%). Free thyroxine was measured in 77.4% of patients and was low in 0 to 4.4% of subjects, with no differences among TSH groups. Thirty-day mortality was similar among TSH groups. There were no differences in any secondary outcome between patients with abnormal TSH and patients with normal TSH. CONCLUSION: Preoperative mild to moderate subclinical hypothyroidism was not associated with adverse postoperative outcomes in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

Relationship between Uveitis and Thyroid Disease: A 13-Year Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Purpose: To investigate whether patients with thyroid disease are at increased risk of uveitis.Methods: Data was collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance system and included patients newly diagnosed with thyroid disease from 2000 to 2012. The endpoint of interest was a diagnosis of uveitis.Results: In analyzing 21,396 patients with thyroid disease, yielding 85,584 matched comparisons, patients with thyroid disease to have a significantly higher cumulative incidence of uveitis when compared to the control cohort with the Kaplan-Meier analysis. This result was further confirmed by Cox regression analysis. The increased risk was persistent in both genders. The association between thyroid disease and uveitis was stronger in patients without diabetes or hypertension.Conclusion: Patients with thyroid disease were found to have a higher risk for uveitis. For certain age groups or patients without diabetes or hypertension, the role of thyroid disease might be more crucial for uveitis development.

Exposure to the Chinese Great Famine in Early Life and Thyroid Function and Disorders in Adulthood: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Malnutrition in early life may permanently change the structure and function of the body, which lead to a number of diseases in adulthood. The effect of famine exposure during the early life on thyroid function and disorders remains unclear. This study investigated the association between exposure to the Great Chinese Famine (1959-1961) in early life and thyroid function and disorders in adulthood. Methods: Nine thousand eight hundred eighty-one subjects with appropriate birth dates derived from the Thyroid disorders, Iodine status, and Diabetes Epidemiological survey were included. Thyroid function and disorders were defined by the test results of blood sample and ultrasonography of all participants. Associations between famine exposure in early life and thyroid function and disorders in adulthood were assessed with binary logistic regression and linear regression. Results: Participants exposed to the Great Chinese Famine during the fetal stage was associated with a higher thyrotropin (TSH) level in adulthood (ß = 0.024; p = 0.038), compared with the nonexposed participants. The association was significant among rural participants (ß = 0.039; p = 0.02) but not in urban participants (ß = 0.005; p = 0.77). Fetal-exposed group did not show a higher risk of thyroid disorders than the age-matched balanced control group, including overt hyperthyroidism, subclinical hyperthyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, and thyroid nodules (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Famine exposure during the fetal stage was associated with a higher TSH level in adulthood. The fetal stage could be the critical period for programming the pituitary-thyroid axis.

Thyroid disorders and SARS-CoV-2 infection: From pathophysiological mechanism to patient management.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 epidemic to be a global pandemic in March 2020. COVID-19 is an infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus that utilizes the angiotensin-2 converting enzyme to penetrate thyroid and pituitary cells, and may result in a "cytokine storm". Based on the pathophysiological involvement of the pituitary-thyroid axis, the current review discusses the diagnosis of abnormal thyroid function test, and the management of patients presenting with thyrotoxicosis, thyroid-associated orbitopathy and hypothyroidism in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Clinical Parameters Are More Likely to Be Associated with Thyroid Hormone Levels than with Thyrotropin Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Though the functional states of other endocrine systems are not defined on the basis of levels of controlling hormones, the assessment of thyroid function is based on levels of the controlling hormone thyrotropin (TSH). We, therefore, addressed the question as to whether levels of thyroid hormones [free thyroxine (fT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3)/free triiodothyronine (fT3)], or TSH levels, within and beyond the reference ranges, provide the better guide to the range of clinical parameters associated with thyroid status. Methods: A PubMed/MEDLINE search of studies up to October 2019, examining associations of levels of thyroid hormones and TSH, taken simultaneously in the same individuals, with clinical parameters was performed. We analyzed atrial fibrillation, other cardiac parameters, osteoporosis and fracture, cancer, dementia, frailty, mortality, features of the metabolic syndrome, and pregnancy outcomes. Studies were assessed for quality by using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa score. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines were followed. A meta-analysis of the associations was performed to determine the relative likelihood of fT4, TT3/fT3, and TSH levels that are associated with the clinical parameters. Results: We identified 58 suitable articles and a total of 1880 associations. In general, clinical parameters were associated with thyroid hormone levels significantly more often than with TSH levels-the converse was not true for any of the clinical parameters. In the 1880 considered associations, fT4 levels were significantly associated with clinical parameters in 50% of analyses. The respective frequencies for TT3/fT3 and TSH levels were 53% and 23% (p < 0.0001 for both fT4 and TT3/fT3 vs. TSH). The fT4 and TT3/fT3 levels were comparably associated with clinical parameters (p = 0.71). More sophisticated statistical analyses, however, indicated that the associations with TT3/fT3 were not as robust as the associations with fT4. Conclusions: Thyroid hormones levels, and in particular fT4 levels, seem to have stronger associations with clinical parameters than do TSH levels. Associations of clinical parameters with TSH levels can be explained by the strong negative population correlation between thyroid hormones and TSH. Clinical and research components of thyroidology currently based on the measurement of the thyroid state by reference to TSH levels warrant reconsideration.

The interplay between thyroid and liver: implications for clinical practice.

A complex relationship exists between thyroid and liver in health and disease. Liver plays an essential physiological role in thyroid hormone activation and inactivation, transport, and metabolism. Conversely, thyroid hormones affect activities of hepatocytes and hepatic metabolism. Serum liver enzyme abnormalities observed in hypothyroidism may be related to impaired lipid metabolism, hepatic steatosis or hypothyroidism-induced myopathy. Severe hypothyroidism may have biochemical and clinical features, such as hyperammonemia and ascites, mimicking those of liver failure. Liver function tests are frequently abnormal also in hyperthyroidism, due to oxidative stress, cholestasis, or enhanced osteoblastic activity. Antithyroid drug-associated hepatotoxicity is a rare event, likely related mainly to an idiosyncratic mechanism, ranging from a mild hepatocellular damage to liver failure. Propylthiouracil-induced liver damage is usually more severe than that caused by methimazole. On the other hand, thyroid abnormalities can be found in liver diseases, such as chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma. In particular, autoimmune thyroid diseases are frequently found in patients with hepatitis C virus infection. These patients, especially if thyroid autoimmunity preexists, are at risk of hypothyroidism or, less frequently, thyrotoxicosis, during and after treatment with interpheron-alpha alone or in combination with ribavirin, commonly used before the introduction of new antiviral drugs. The present review summarizes both liver abnormalities related to thyroid disorders and their treatment, and thyroid abnormalities related to liver diseases and their treatment.

Predictive and sensitive biomarkers for thyroid dysfunctions during treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are often seen during immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment of various malignancies. Endocrine irAEs including thyroid dysfunctions are the most common irAEs, but their biomarkers remain unclear. In order to identify individuals who are susceptible to thyroid irAE for earlier diagnosis and appropriate follow-up, the current study is aimed to investigate biomarkers of thyroid irAE. Herein, patients with advanced malignant diseases who received ICIs treatment were prospectively studied. Clinical and laboratory examination, thyroid function, and autoantibodies were evaluated at baseline, and every 4 wk after first treatment with ICIs. Cytokines/chemokines were measured at baseline and at 4 wk. In vivo effects of ICIs on experimental autoimmune thyroiditis were evaluated. Twenty-six patients with malignant diseases who received ICIs treatment were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: those who developed thyroid irAE, and those without irAEs. Comparing the two groups, early increase (≤4 wk) in serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and thyroid autoantibodies was seen in thyroid irAE (P < .05). Notably, higher levels of serum IL-1ß, IL-2, and GM-CSF at baseline, and early decrease of IL-8, G-CSF, and MCP-1 were significantly associated in the development of thyroid irAE (P < .05). In vivo effects of anti-PD-1 antibody on deterioration of mice experimental thyroiditis were seen. In conclusion, early change in Tg, thyroid autoimmunity, and cytokine levels might indicate development of thyroid irAE. Pre-existing thyroid autoimmunity might be involved with the development of thyroid irAE. Potential application of these factors as surrogate biomarkers for tumor therapy was indicated.

Our Little Friends with Big Roles: Alterations of the Gut Microbiota in Thyroid Disorders.

BACKGROUND: The thyroid gland influences the metabolic processes in our body by producing thyroid hormones, and thyroid disorders can range from a harmless goiter to life-threatening cancer. A growing number of evidence support the link between gut microbiota composition and thyroid homeostasis. Gut dysbiosis can disrupt the normal gut barrier function, leading to immunologic and metabolic disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to discuss the main features of gut dysbiosis associated with different thyroid disorders. RESULTS: Gut microbiota contributes to thyroid hormone synthesis and hydrolysis of thyroid hormones conjugates. It has been shown that microbial metabolites may play a role in autoimmune thyroid diseases via modulating the immune system. Intestinal microbiota can contribute to the thyroid malignancies via controlling DNA damage and apoptosis and influencing inflammatory reactions by the microbiota- derived metabolites. However, the pathogenic role of altered gut microbiota in different thyroid disorders has not yet fully elucidated. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to assess the role of alterations of the gut microbiota in disease onset and development in order to achieve novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

Thyroid and Eye: Where They Meet in Clinical Practice.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid Hormones (TH) are essential for normal growth, development and continued optimal function of most of the body organs including the eye. TH signaling plays a central role in the regulation of retinal development and maturation. Deficiency in TH during fetal and early postnatal development impairs growth of the eye and proliferation of all retinal cell types. The present article reviews the most important topics of the different derangements in thyroid function and structure and its relation with eye diseases. METHODS: A literature search strategy was conducted for all English-language literature. RESULTS: From a clinical practice viewpoint, it should be mentioned that both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are accompanied by ocular diseases i.e. thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Although the orbit and globe are not common sites for metastatic thyroid cancers, orbital metastasis may be the primary clinical manifestation of thyroid carcinoma. Finally, some medications as amiodarone may be accompanied by both thyroid dysfunction and adverse ocular events. CONCLUSION: Thyroid disorders and eye diseases are interrelated through several mechanisms thus, awareness of this relation has a great impact on early diagnosis and treatment.

The Year in Medical Thyroidology Review: Current Challenges and Future Directions.

This is a summary of the American Thyroid Association's Opening Session at the 89th Annual Meeting in October 2019. This review highlights the most clinically impactful articles in medical thyroidology published from January 2018 through September 2019.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Thyroid Dysfunction in Older Adults in the Community.

Prevalence estimates and evidence informing treatment targets for thyroid dysfunction largely come from studies of middle-aged adults. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and risk factors for abnormal thyroid tests in participants aged ≥65 in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study (N = 5,392). We measured serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (Anti-TPO), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). In this population (58% women, 22% black), 17% reported medication use for thyroid dysfunction. Among those not on treatment, the prevalence of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism was 0.82% and 6.06%, respectively. Overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism affected 0.26% and 0.78%, respectively. Multivariable adjusted TSH, FT4 and T3 levels were 25%, 1.3% and 3.9% lower in blacks compared to whites, respectively. Men were less likely to be anti-TPO positive compared to women (p < 0.001). Former and never smoking were associated with lower T3 and FT4 levels compared to current smoking. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in older adults is nearly 25%. Multiple illnesses can interact to contribute to declines in health. Additional attention to thyroid dysfunction and screening in this age group is recommended.

An underestimated comorbidity of COPD: Thyroid dysfunction.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has many systemic effects influencing morbidity and mortality of the disease. Thyroid diseases which are more common in COPD patients than who do not have COPD are underestimated despite important clinical consequences. Similar to general population, thyroid dysfunctions are more common in females than males among COPD patients. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism may be associated to COPD. As well as systemic inflammation hypoxia, age, glucocorticoid use and smoking are some of the effective factors on developing thyroid dysfunction in COPD patients. In this article thyroid dysfunctions that are underrecognized comorbidities of COPD patients, their mechanisms of action and clinical outcomes were reviewed.