Recurrence-free survival and prognosis after adjuvant therapy with radioactive iodine-131 in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

This study aimed to assess recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates and recurrence-related factors of patients who received adjuvant therapy (AT) with radioactive iodine (RAI) for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) following thyroidectomy. We evaluated 284 patients who underwent AT between January 2011 and July 2020 at our hospital. Recurrence was defined as visible recurrent lesions on image analysis or need for repeat surgery with pathologically confirmed recurrent lesions. RFS rate and prognostic factors were statistically evaluated. The median observation period was 30.2 months (range, 5.7-294 months). Overall, 192 patients were female and 92 were male, and the median age was 54 years (range, 9-85 years). Initial assessment revealed 39 recurrence cases. The 3-year RFS rate was 85.8% (95% confidence interval: 81.1-90.9%). Univariate analysis revealed that histology (except for papillary carcinoma), Tg level > 4 ng/dL before AT, and AT result significantly exacerbated the RFS rate. In multivariate analysis, histology and AT result were also important contributors to the worsening RFS rate. Results of AT can be determined relatively early and are important in predicting future recurrence in patients with DTC. Increasing the success rate of AT may lead to an improved prognosis.

Comparison of thyroid hormone withdrawal and recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone administration for adjuvant therapy in patients with intermediate- to high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcome in patients who received adjuvant therapy with radioactive iodine (RAI) using different preparation methods, namely, thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) and recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH), after undergoing thyroidectomy for intermediate- to high-risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) according to the American Thyroid Association criteria. METHODS: Between May 2012 and October 2018, 136 patients who underwent adjuvant therapy with high-dose (3700 MBq) RAI for DTC without any metastatic lesions or macroscopic residual lesions after surgical resection were retrospectively selected. Patients were excluded if distant metastasis was confirmed during adjuvant therapy or if the outcome could not be confirmed; thus, 112 patients were finally evaluated. Patients underwent either a 3-week I restriction with thyroxine withdrawal or a 2-week I restriction with rhTSH administration. The serum thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration was measured, and 131I scintigraphy (370 MBq) was performed 6-12 months after adjuvant therapy. The definition of the initial achievement of adjuvant therapy was the disappearance of the uptake of 131I at the thyroid bed and serum Tg concentration < 2.0 ng/mL. The results of the adjuvant therapy between the groups were compared using the Fisher's exact test, and the TSH levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were compared using the Welch's t test. RESULTS: The THW and rhTSH groups included 47 and 65 patients, respectively, and the intermediate- and high-risk groups included 63 and 49 patients, respectively. No patient was assigned to the low-risk group. In the THW and rhTSH groups, the initial RAI adjuvant therapy goal was achieved in 30/47 (63.8%) and 46/65 patients (70.8%), respectively (p = 0.54); mean ± standard deviation of the TSH levels was 123.8 ± 46.4 µIU/mL and 274.5 ± 97.7 µIU/mL, respectively (p < 0.01), and eGFR (treatment/pre-treatment) was 0.81 and 0.99, respectively (p < 0.01). In the intermediate- and high-risk groups, the initial RAI adjuvant therapy goal was achieved in 43/63 patients (68.3%) and 33/49 (67.3%), respectively (p = 1.0). CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed between the preparation methods in the initial achievement of RAI adjuvant therapy. However, patients in the rhTSH group demonstrated higher TSH levels and retained eGFR.

Cardiovascular Comparison of 2 Types of Local Anesthesia With Vasoconstrictor in Older Adults: A Crossover Study.

We assessed the effect of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline (L + AD) and 3% prilocaine with 0.03 IU/mL felypressin (P + FP) on blood pressure and heart rate in older adults with systemic diseases undergoing dental extraction. This double-blind, randomized crossover study included 22 elderly participants, aged over 65 years. The participants were administered L + AD for one dental extraction and P + FP for the other. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded immediately, 5, and 10 minutes after local anesthetic administration and the data were analyzed. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the P + FP group increased at all measurement points (p < .001). In the L + AD group, the diastolic blood pressure decreased at 5 and 10 minutes after local anesthetic administration (p < .05), whereas the heart rate increased at all measured time points (p < .001). There were statistically significant differences in systolic blood pressure at 5 and 10 minutes after local anesthetic administration and in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate at all time points between the 2 groups. In older adults, P + FP administration increased the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. L + AD administration increased the heart rate and decreased the diastolic blood pressure.

'Goose bumps'-associated anaemia.

A 36-year-old woman presented to our hospital for further evaluation of anaemia screened by regular check-up. She was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) but refractory to iron supplementation. She had negative results of occult blood in the stool and no gynaecologic disease potentially causing hyper menorrhea. Upper endoscopy revealed a nodular gastritis, which has been called 'Torihada-ien', a Japanese word meaning 'gastritis with goose bumps-like appearance', associated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. After Hp eradication therapy, her anaemia resolved with an improved response to iron supplementation. In an unexplained IDA patient, Hp-associated gastritis should be considered in the possible background.

Distribution of calbindin-D28K immunoreactive neurons in rat primary motor cortex.

Distribution of calbindin-D28K immunoreactive cells in the primary motor area of the adult rat neocortex was studied in the present experiment. In the primary motor cortex, calbindin-D28K immunoreactivity was found in two populations of cortical neurons. One was composed of neurons heavily labeled with anti-calbindin antibody, which were present in two bands corresponding to cortical layers II-III, and V. The morphological types of these cells were varied; they had oval, fusiform or mutiangular somata. The proximal dendrites of the heavily stained cells showed that these cells were non-pyramidal neurons, and they were either bitufted or multipolar cells. The other was a weakly stained population, mainly concentrated in layers II and III, that also contained pyramidal neurons. In addition, one outstanding feature of the neuropil staining deep to layer II was the labeling of the long, vertically oriented bundles of immunoreactive processes. Such a distinct pattern of calbindin-D28K immunoreactive neurons in the primary motor cortex suggests a relatively high density of calcium channels exists in the superficial layers of the rat primary motor cortex.