Recommend with caution: A meta-analysis investigating papillary thyroid carcinoma tumor progression under active surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is an indolent disease with favorable outcomes. The non-surgical treatment approach known as active surveillance (AS) has been introduced as an alternative treatment instead of the traditional thyroidectomy. However, 10-15 % of PTC tend to progress. We sought to determine factors predicting the progression of PTC under AS. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in January 2022 using PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. PRISMA guidelines were used by multiple reviewers to extract study characteristics (author name, publication date, journal name, country, institution, and study design), as well as main outcomes and measures. A combination of utilization of thyroid replacement therapy, baseline tumor size and volume, follow-up tumor size and volume, and the presence of lymph node metastasis and its distribution, as well as surveillance duration, were the main measures of this study. RESULTS: Nine studies with 4166 patients were included, of which 354 showed tumor progression during AS (15 %; 95%CI = 7 % - 23 %). The average follow-up period was 41.58 months. The mean tumor maximum diameter was 8.54 mm (95%CI = 7.04-10.03). Tumor progression was most commonly secondary to an increase in volume by ≥50 % (75 %; 95%CI = 68 % - 80 %), then increase in diameter by ≥3 mm (41 %; 95%CI = 13 % - 76 %), and finally the development of lymph node metastasis (13 %; 95%CI = 9 % - 19 %). Approximately only 2 % of all patients thus developed new lymph node metastasis. Patient age, sex, and tumor size were not associated with higher risks of tumor progression. 12 % of AS patients eventually underwent surgery, though only 40 % (95%CI = 27 % - 53 %) of these patients displayed tumor progression. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis determined a tumor progression rate of 15 % in patients who underwent AS management, 13 % of which (2 % of all patients) developed lymph node metastasis. We found no protective or risk factors for tumor progression, and that almost half of all patients who underwent delayed surgery did so for reasons other than tumor progression. While not biopsying small (<1 cm) or very low suspicious nodules is already recommended, AS may be an appropriate treatment option in patients appropriately counseled, considering the low risk of advanced tumor progression but also the considerable patient population who fail to adhere to treatment. Alternatively, in aim of preventing overtreatment in patients who would rather take proactive measures against their low-risk carcinoma, minimally-invasive ablation techniques may be an attractive option.

A combination of computed tomography scan and ultrasound provides optimal detection of cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is common. This meta-analysis assesses the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and CT + US in detecting central and lateral LNM. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for studies published up to April 2022. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated. The area under the curve (AUC) for summary receiver operating curves (sROC) were compared. RESULTS: The study population included 7902 patients with a total of 15 014 lymph nodes. Twenty-four studies analyzed the sensitivity of the overall neck region in which dual CT + US imaging (55.9%) had greater sensitivities (p < 0.001) than either US (48.4%) or CT (50.4%) alone. The specificity of US alone (89.0%) was greater (p < 0.001) than CT alone (88.5%) or dual imaging (86.8%). The DOR for dual CT + US imaging was greatest (p < 0.001) at 11.134, while the AUCs of the three imaging modalities were similar (p > 0.05). Twenty-one studies analyzed the sensitivity of the central neck region in which both CT (45.8%) and CT + US imaging (43.4%) had greater sensitivities (p < 0.001) than US alone (35.3%). The specificity of all three modalities was higher than 85%. The DOR for CT (7.985) was greater than US alone (4.723, p < 0.001) or dual CT + US imaging (4.907, p = 0.015). The AUC of both CT + US (0.785) and CT alone (0.785) were significantly greater (p < 0.001) than US alone (0.685). Of the 19 studies that reported lateral LNM, CT + US imaging sensitivity (84.5%) was higher than CT alone (69.2%, p < 0.001) and US alone (79.7%, p = 0.038). The specificity of all imaging techniques was all greater than 80.0%. CT + US imaging DOR (35.573) was greater than CT (20.959, p = 0.024) and US (15.181, p < 0.001) individually. The AUC of independent imaging was high (CT: 0.863, US: 0.858) and improved significantly when combined (CT + US: 0.919, p = 0.024 and p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We report an up-to-date analysis elucidating the diagnostic accuracy of LNM detection by either CT, US, or in combination. Our work suggests dual CT + US to be the best for overall detection of LNM and CT to be preferable in detecting central LNM. The use of either CT or US alone may detect lateral LNM with acceptable accuracy, yet dual imaging (CT + US) significantly improved detection rates.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: A Protective Factor against Recurrence in BRAF-Wild Type Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

A recent work analyzing the concomitant factors BRAF mutation (risk factor) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (protective factor) found that the presence of HT reduced lymph node metastasis in BRAF-mutated papillary thyroid carcinoma. Whether this notion is upheld with respect to disease recurrence and differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), however, is unknown. We aimed to investigate the effect of underlying HT in DTC patients and its influence on recurrence with a specific emphasis in BRAF-mutated tumors. A total of 469 patients were included. Patients were stratified according to BRAF and HT status. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine protective and risk factors of disease recurrence in patients with DTC. HT was associated with less-aggressive carcinomas including more frequent microcarcinomas (HT: 45.0% vs. no-HT: 34.0%, p = 0.02), less lymph node involvement (HT: 16.4% vs. no-HT: 26.1%, p = 0.02), and less disease recurrence (HT: 2.9% vs. no-HT: 11.9%, p = 0.002). BRAF mutation was also significantly associated with higher rates of lymph node involvement (BRAF-mutant: 41.9% vs. BRAF-wild type: 14.6%, p < 0.001) and almost two times the rate of recurrence (BRAF-mutant: 14.9% vs. BRAF-wild type: 6.5%, p = 0.004). Underlying HT was the only protective factor determined, reducing the odds of developing recurrence by 70% (HR: 0.30, 95%CI: 0.11-0.88). In the BRAF-wild type cohort, regression analysis continued to determine HT as a protective factor (p = 0.03). However, in the BRAF-mutant cohort, HT was no longer an independent protective factor (p = 0.20) against recurrence. Sub-group regression analysis, including PTC patients, similarly found HT as a protective factor only in BRAF-wild type patients (p = 0.039) and not BRAF-mutant (p = 0.627). The presence of underlying HT is associated with less aggressive tumors and is an independent protective factor against DTC recurrence, reducing the risk by 70%. HT remains a protective factor in BRAF-wild type carcinoma, but not in patients with BRAF-mutant carcinoma. HT may potentially be considered as a parameter which enhances American Thyroid Association patient risk stratification.

Cardiovascular Health by Graves' Disease Management Modality - Surgery Versus Radioactive Iodine Versus Antithyroid Medications: A Network Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland associated with the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Excess secretion of thyroid hormones leads to cardiovascular consequences. Treatment options include antithyroid medications (ATM), radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation, and total thyroidectomy. We examined the cardiovascular outcomes following Graves' disease management modality. METHODS: A systematic search was performed up to September 22nd, 2021, using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. We conducted a network meta-analysis analyzing cardiovascular outcomes of interest, including congestive heart failure (CHF), arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AF), and hypertension. RESULTS: Three studies were included in this analysis totaling 6700 patients with Graves' disease, of which 74% were female. The mean age was 44.34 y. When compared to pretreatment, management options lowered the risk of maintaining arrhythmia 81% with surgery (relative risk [RR] = 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.12 to 0.31), 67% with ATM (RR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.49), and 50% with RAI (RR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.13 to 1.95). Risk of maintaining CHF was reduced 80% with surgery (RR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.49), 41% with ATM (RR = 0.59; 95%CI = 0.52 to 0.67), and only 7% with RAI (RR = 0.93; 95%CI = 0.68 to 1.26). Treatment-ranking analysis found all parameters, including CHF, arrhythmia, AF, and hypertension, to be in favor of surgical treatment over medical treatment and RAI ablation. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first network meta-analysis analyzing the cardiovascular outcomes in Graves' disease patients by treatment option. Our study demonstrated that surgery is superior to RAI and medical treatment.

The Effect of Patient Positioning on Intraoperative Neuromonitoring During Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has been accepted as a routine adjunct among surgeons who perform thyroid and parathyroid surgeries. Thyroid and parathyroid surgeries use various patient positioning strategies that have poorly understood effects on IONM. The aim of this study was to compare IONM signals between the transaxillary and transcervical approaches. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 463 adult patients who underwent a total of 502 procedures. The procedures performed included total thyroidectomy, right or left hemithyroidectomy, and parathyroidectomy. Vagus nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) latency and amplitude measurements were analyzed intra-operatively. The distances between the vagus nerve and the trachea were measured via ultrasound during transaxillary procedures. RESULTS: Compared to the transcervical approach, the right vagus nerve latency was significantly decreased in the transaxillary approach. Transaxillary surgery was not associated with increased latency or decreased amplitude on IONM. The distance between the vagus nerve and trachea was significantly decreased post-positioning during transaxillary approaches. DISCUSSION: Despite differences in patient positioning, a transaxillary approach was not associated with increased stress on the vagus nerve or RLN, according to IONM data. The decreased right vagus nerve latency associated with a transaxillary approach highlights the importance of considering patient positioning and laterality while interpreting IONM data.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Minimizes Lymph Node Metastasis in BRAF Mutant Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (autoimmune thyroiditis) is a clinicopathological entity associated with chronic lymphocytic infiltration resulting in hypothyroidism. HT is a double-edged sword that increases the risk of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), yet it serves as a protective factor for PTC progression. BRAF mutation in PTCs is associated with rapid cell growth, aggressive tumor characteristics, and higher mortality rates. Here, we aimed to analyze the influence of HT in patients with PTCs and its effect on lymph node metastasis (LNM) in BRAF mutant tumors. Adults diagnosed with PTC between 2008 and January 2021 were retrospectively included. A total of 427 patients, 128 of whom had underlying HT, were included. The HT group had significantly higher rates of microcarcinoma (49.2% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.025) and less lateral LNM (8.6% vs. 17.1%, p = 0.024). Interestingly, BRAF-mutated PTCs were found to have significantly less overall LNM (20.9% vs. 51%, p = 0.001), central LNM (25.6% vs. 45.1%, p = 0.040) and lateral LNM (9.3% vs. 29.4%, p = 0.010) in patients with HT when compared to those without underlying HT. HT was found to be an independent protective predictor of overall and lateral LNM. Altogether, HT was able to neutralize the effect of BRAF mutation and was determined to be an independent protective factor against LNM. Specifically, our work may influence treatment-aggressiveness decision making for endocrinologists, oncologists and surgeons alike.

Excess of cesarean births in pregnant women with COVID-19: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies have suggested that cesarean birth in pregnant women with COVID-19 may decrease maternal adverse events and perinatal transmission. This systematic review aimed to evaluate variations in clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and maternal/neonatal outcomes in COVID-19 patients who delivered vaginally versus via cesarean. METHODS: A comprehensive search following PRISMA guidelines was performed for studies published up to May 23, 2020, using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Science Direct, and clinicaltrials.gov. Original retrospective and prospective studies, case reports, or case series with sufficient data for estimating the association of COVID-19 with different pregnancy outcomes with no language restriction and published in peer-reviewed journals were included. Pooled mean and arcsine transformation proportions were applied. Next, a two-arm meta-analysis was performed comparing the perinatal outcomes between the study groups. RESULTS: Forty-two studies with a total of 602 pregnant women with COVID-19 were included. The mean age was 31.8 years. Subgroup analysis showed that Americans had the lowest gestational age (mean = 32.7, 95%CI = 27.0-38.4, P < 0.001) and the highest incidence of maternal ICU admission (95%CI = 0.45%-2.20, P < 0.001) of all nationalities in the study. There was no significant difference in perinatal complications, premature rupture of membrane, placenta previa/accreta, or gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia between women who delivered vaginally versus by cesarean. Importantly, there were also no significant differences in maternal or neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: Vaginal delivery was not associated with worse maternal or neonatal outcomes when compared with cesarean. The decision to pursue a cesarean birth should be based on standard indications, not COVID-19 status.

Asthma and COVID-19; different entities, same outcome: a meta-analysis of 107,983 patients.

OBJECTIVE: There are varying reports of the prevalence and effect of comorbid asthma in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. We sought to conduct a meta-analysis comparing asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients to determine the clinical significance of preexisting asthma in COVID-19 patients. DATA SOURCES: Online databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus, were searched up to July 15, 2020, for papers comparing asthma versus non-asthma COVID-19 patients. STUDY SELECTION: According to prespecified inclusion criteria, this analysis included eleven retrospective studies with 107,983 COVID-19 patients. Subgroup analysis was performed based on age groups. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 59.9 years (95%CI = 51.9-67.9). Across studies, the prevalence of asthma was 11.2% (95%CI: 9.1%-13.3%) among COVID-19 patients who attended the hospitals. Asthma patients were more likely to be younger (SMD = -0.36, 95%CI = -0.61 to -0.10, p = 0.005), and obese (OR = 1.98, 95%CI = 1.54-2.55, p < 0.001), there was no differential risk of hospitalization rate, ICU admission, or development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) between asthmatic and non-asthmatic cohorts. However, asthmatic patients had increased risk of endotracheal intubation (RR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.02-1.58, p = 0.030) especially patients aged <50 years (RR = 6.68, 95%CI = 1.76-11.13, p = 0.009). Despite this result, asthmatic patients had better recovery with a higher liability of being discharged and were less likely to die (RR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.65-0.97, p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, our meta-analysis is the largest to shed light on preexisting asthma as a predictor of intubation in COVID-19, especially in young and obese patients. Identifying high-risk groups is crucial for designing more effective intervention plans and optimization of efficient resource allocation.

Altered mental status is a predictor of poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have described typical clinical manifestations, including fever, cough, diarrhea, and fatigue with COVID-19 infection. However, there are limited data on the association between the presence of neurological manifestations on hospital admission, disease severity, and outcomes. We sought to investigate this correlation to help understand the disease burden. METHODS: We delivered a multi-center retrospective study of positive laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Clinical presentation, laboratory values, complications, and outcomes data were reported. Our findings of interest were Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 502 patients with a mean age of 60.83 ± 15.5 years, of them 71 patients (14.14%) presented with altered mental status, these patients showed higher odds of ICU admission (OR = 2.06, 95%CI = 1.18 to 3.59, p = 0.01), mechanical ventilation (OR = 3.28, 95%CI = 1.86 to 5.78, p < 0.001), prolonged (>4 days) mechanical ventilation (OR = 4.35, 95%CI = 1.89 to 10, p = 0.001), acute kidney injury (OR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.28 to 3.74, p = 0.004), and mortality (HR = 2.82, 95%CI = 1.49 to 5.29, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: This cohort study found that neurological presentations are associated with higher odds of adverse events. When examining patients with neurological manifestations, clinicians should suspect COVID-19 to avoid delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis and lose the chance to treat and prevent further transmission.

Robotic-assisted parathyroidectomy via transaxillary approach: feasibility and learning curves.

BACKGROUND: There have been few reports of robotic-assisted transaxillary parathyroidectomy in the literature. We aim to report our experience with robotic-assisted transaxillary parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in the Western population. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed from July 2010 through July 2019 at two institutions, one in the United States and one in France. Demographic characteristics and perioperative data were collected for all patients undergoing robotic-assisted transaxillary parathyroidectomy by a single surgeon at each institution. A linear regression model was developed to describe the learning curve for this procedure at each institution. RESULTS: One-hundred and two patients with PHPT were included with a median age of 55.6±12.4 years and median body mass index (BMI) of 25.5±6.1 kg/m2. The majority of patients were female (80.4%). Median total operative time was 116±53 minutes. Minor complications were reported in 2 patients (1.96%), and one case was converted to a trans-cervical approach (TCA) for four-gland exploration. Median patient follow-up time was 6.5±12.2 months, and disease recurrence was reported in one patient. Calculated learning curves showed that one surgeon achieved proficiency by the eighth case, and the other achieved proficiency by the fourteenth case. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest reported experience of robotic-assisted transaxillary parathyroidectomy for PHPT in the Asian and Western population. Analysis of the procedural learning curve demonstrates that proficiency in this technique was achieved after performance of less than 15 surgeries. This procedure is safe and feasible in the hands of experienced surgeons for select patients with localized disease.

Evaluation of YouTube videos as a patient education source for novel surgical techniques in thyroid surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients and physicians are increasingly utilizing online video sharing sites such as YouTube for obtaining and disseminating health-related information in multimedia format; however, due to its free, open-access platform, YouTube videos fall short in providing validated, up-to-date medical information, and may even convey unintended messages to patients who are seeking additional information on surgeries. We evaluated the relevance, reliability, and quality of YouTube videos on novel surgical techniques in thyroid surgery. METHODS: The top 50 indexed YouTube videos for the queries, "robotic thyroid surgery" and "transoral thyroid surgery", were assessed by two independent reviewers for video quality and reliability for patient understanding. Videos were scored using Global Quality Score (GQS), a scale for video quality, and DISCERN Scoring, a questionnaire for reliability and quality measures of information presented. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) duration of the videos (n=50) was 8.1±3.7 minutes. Total views were 261,440 and the mean ± SD time since upload was 3.6±2.6 years. The median and interquartile range of video power index (VPI) was 1.9 (0.5-3.7), GQS was 3.0 (2.0-4.0), and DISCERN score was 2.8 (2.3-3.2). Most videos were uploaded by physicians (75.8%) and the highest number of videos (63.6%) uploaded were from the United States (US). Videos with higher quality and reliability scores were uploaded by academic professionals, and included videos of physicians who described procedural information, perioperative instructions, and possible postoperative complications (P<0.05). Adequate medical information on the procedure and discussion of complications in YouTube videos were independent predictors of advanced educational quality and reliability. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical information on new surgical techniques such as transoral and robotic thyroid surgeries in YouTube videos scored low on quality and reliability as a source of patient education. Physicians should provide supplemental educational material online and offline to aid patient understanding of novel procedures.

Gastroenterology manifestations and COVID-19 outcomes: A meta-analysis of 25,252 cohorts among the first and second waves.

A meta-analysis was performed to identify patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms during the first and second pandemic waves and investigate their association with the disease outcomes. A systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and EMBASE was performed up to July 25, 2020. The pooled prevalence of the GI presentations was estimated using the random-effects model. Pairwise comparison for the outcomes was performed according to the GI manifestations' presentation and the pandemic wave of infection. Data were reported as relative risk (RR), or odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Of 125 articles with 25,252 patients, 20.3% presented with GI manifestations. Anorexia (19.9%), dysgeusia/ageusia (15.4%), diarrhea (13.2%), nausea (10.3%), and hematemesis (9.1%) were the most common. About 26.7% had confirmed positive fecal RNA, with persistent viral shedding for an average time of 19.2 days before being negative. Patients presenting with GI symptoms on admission showed a higher risk of complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (RR = 8.16), acute cardiac injury (RR = 5.36), and acute kidney injury (RR = 5.52), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (RR = 2.56), and mortality (RR = 2.01). Although not reach significant levels, subgroup-analysis revealed that affected cohorts in the first wave had a higher risk of being hospitalized, ventilated, ICU admitted, and expired. This meta-analysis suggests an association between GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients and unfavorable outcomes. The analysis also showed improved overall outcomes for COVID-19 patients during the second wave compared to the first wave of the outbreak.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatric COVID-19 patients: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to systematically review the clinical and laboratory features of patients with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatrics diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic. DATA SOURCES: A literature search in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct was made up to June 29, 2020. RESULTS: Analysis of 15 articles (318 COVID-19 patients) revealed that although many patients presented with the typical multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatrics, Kawasaki-like features as fever (82.4%), polymorphous maculopapular exanthema (63.7%), oral mucosal changes (58.1%), conjunctival injections (56.0%), edematous extremities (40.7%), and cervical lymphadenopathy (28.5%), atypical gastrointestinal (79.4%) and neurocognitive symptoms (31.8%) were also common. They had elevated serum lactic acid dehydrogenase, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, interleukin-6, troponin I levels, and lymphopenia. Nearly 77.0% developed hypotension, and 68.1% went into shock, while 41.1% had acute kidney injury. Intensive care was needed in 73.7% of cases; 13.2% were intubated, and 37.9% required mechanical ventilation. Intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids were given in 87.7% and 56.9% of the patients, respectively, and anticoagulants were utilized in 67.0%. Pediatric patients were discharged after a hospital stay of 6.77 days on average (95% CI 4.93-8.6). CONCLUSIONS: Recognizing the typical and atypical presentation of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in pediatric COVID-19 patients has important implications in identifying children at risk. Monitoring cardiac and renal decompensation and early interventions in patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome is critical to prevent further morbidity.

Vitamin D insufficiency as a potential culprit in critical COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: As an immune modulator, vitamin D has been implicated in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outcome. We aim to systematically explore the association of vitamin D serum levels with COVID-19 severity and prognosis. METHODS: The standardized mean difference (SMD) or odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to estimate pooled results from six studies. The prognostic performance of vitamin D serum levels for predicting adverse outcomes with detection of the best cutoff threshold was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Decision tree analysis by combining vitamin D levels and clinical features was applied to predict severity in COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: Mean vitamin D serum level of 376 patients, was 21.9 nmol/L (95% CI = 15.36-28.45). Significant heterogeneity was found (I2 = 99.1%, p < .001). Patients with poor prognosis (N = 150) had significantly lower serum levels of vitamin D compared with those with good prognosis (N = 161), representing an adjusted standardized mean difference of -0.58 (95% Cl = -0.83 to -0.34, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Serum vitamin D levels could be implicated in the COVID-19 prognosis. Diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency could be a helpful adjunct in assessing patients' potential of developing severe COVID-19. Appropriate preventative and/or therapeutic intervention may improve COVID-19 outcomes.

Impact of surgery versus medical management on cardiovascular manifestations in Graves disease.

BACKGROUND: Graves disease is well known to have multiple adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. We compared the cardiovascular outcomes after surgical intervention versus medical treatment in patients with Graves disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of all Graves disease patients with a cardiovascular comorbidity who underwent either surgical or medical management (N = 151). Perioperative biochemical and cardiovascular outcomes from the surgical versus the medical groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 151 patients, 69 (45.6%) patients underwent total thyroidectomy and 82 (54.3%) patients received medical treatment. Hypertension resolved in 44.7% of the patients from the surgical group vs 18% in the medical group (P = .03). Tachyarrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and tachycardia, improved in 85.9% of patients in the surgical group vs 66% in the medical group (P = .01). All cardiovascular manifestations examined, hypertension, tachyarrhythmias, and heart failure, improved in 69% of patients in the surgical group and 42.6% of patients in the medical group during the follow-up period (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment offers a significant and rapid clinical improvement of cardiovascular manifestations in Graves disease patients, such as hypertension, tachyarrhythmias, and heart failure. Surgery should be considered and recommended in Graves disease patients with known cardiovascular manifestations.

A Single Surgeon's 10-Year Experience in Remote-Access Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Remote-access thyroid and parathyroid surgery has gained popularity recently due to its benefit of avoiding visible neck scars. Most of these techniques were described and performed in Asia, on patients with different body habitus compared to American patients. We aim to analyze the learning curve in performing these operations in North America. . METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of a 10-year experience by a single surgeon at a North American institute. Patients who underwent thyroid or parathyroid procedures by a transaxillary, retroauricular, or transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) were included. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) was used to analyze learning curves based on intraoperative blood loss and total operative times and learning phases were divided accordingly. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-two remote-access thyroid and parathyroid procedures were performed during the study period. Total operative time for transaxillary procedures was initially reduced after the 69th procedure and then again after the 134th case. For retroauricular procedures, marked reduction in the operative time was observed after 21 procedures. Most patients (57.02%) were discharged home on the same day during the mastering phase. In the transaxillary procedures, only 1 case of brachial plexus injury occurred prior to the routine use of somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring. DISCUSSION: Remote-access thyroid and parathyroid surgeries can be performed safely with minimal complications in a select group of patients. Analysis of the learning curve in performing these operations aids in structuring a safe and effective learning period for endocrine surgeons seeking to venture into this modality of treatment.

Pathogenesis of Drug Induced Non-Allergic Angioedema: A Review of Unusual Etiologies.

Angioedema is the swelling of mucosal and sub-mucosal tissue. Typically, it manifests as the swelling of the face, lips, and tongue. Angioedema can be severe and life threatening when it involves the respiratory tract. Drug induced allergic angioedema and drug induced non-allergic angioedema differ in their mediator, their clinical presentations, and their management. In drug induced non-allergic angioedema, symptoms are resistant to antihistamine and corticosteroid treatment. The aim of the analysis was to identify which medications are associated with drug-induced non-allergic angioedema and to understand the mechanism of action via which of these medication cause angioedema.