Design Studio13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDTThyroid Weeklyhttp://multibriefs.com/briefs/ATAORG/ATAORG.xmlen<img src="http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/ataorg/atasummit.jpg" align="right" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="1">Levothyroxine has been considered the standard of care for treatment of hypothyroidism for many years. This treatment is easy to administer, efficacious, has a long serum half-life, and results in resolution of the sign and symptoms of hypothyroidism in the majority of patients. However, a proportion of patients being treated for hypothyroidism do not feel that they have been returned to optimum health by their therapy. The purpose of this meeting is to re-examine the evidence concerning alternatives therapies other than levothyroxine, to discuss gaps in our current knowledge of these therapies, and to determine whether new data provides reason to pursue these therapies.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=511a9e8bd72131The parathyroid glands sit next to the thyroid gland and secrete parathyroid hormone that regulates blood calcium levels. The parathyroid glands are often bruised and don't work well for a period of time after thyroid surgery. This can lead to low calcium levels (hypocalcemia), which may occur in up to 30 percent of patients after total thyroidectomy. Hypocalcemia is the most common complication of thyroid surgery. This study examined calcium levels in patients before and after total thyroidectomy and created an algorithm to detect patients at risk of hypocalcemia.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=511a5d95b87882The relative risk for death increased by 60 percent for patients in the SCD-HeFT study who had moderately symptomatic HF and abnormal thyroid function. The increased mortality risk was present in both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid states and persisted even after controlling for known mortality predictors, according to substudy data. Researchers for SCD-HeFT randomly assigned patients with ischemic/nonischemic HF to amiodarone, implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy or placebo. Levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone were measured at baseline and every 6 months during the five-year study.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=511a5df5cbfeb3Patients with altered thyroid function may display a variety of lipid abnormalities, but the precise mechanisms involved are poorly understood. The protein PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) binds to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors on the cell surface of hepatocytes, and targets them for lysosomal degradation, which raises the LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) level by impairing clearance. Recently, two monoclonal antibodies against PCSK9 were shown to acutely lower LDL-C levels in clinical studies (1,2). The current paper reports an initial exploration of possible relationships between the circulating level of PCSK9 and lipids, TSH, and FT4.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=511a5cff455314A nomogram based on a competing risks model predicted the probability of mortality in patients with thyroid cancer, according to results of a population-based study. Thyroid cancer often is associated with excellent prognosis. The OS rate for patients with thyroid cancer consistently approaches 90 percent to 95 percent, according to SEER data. Because of long-term survival, patients frequently die from other causes. Therefore, clinicians physicians should consider additional causes of death when thyroid cancer prognosis, according to background information in the study.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=511a5dc7201d45The patient is a 37-year-old man who found a painless lump in his neck in March 2010. An ultrasound revealed a 4-cm right-sided thyroid nodule with microcalcifications; fine-needle aspiration results were suspicious for papillary thyroid cancer. He underwent thyroidectomy in April and was found to have a multifocal, bilateral, midline PTC with a dominant right-sided nodule measuring 5.8 cm. There was lymphovascular invasion, extrathyroidal extension of the tumor and extension of the tumor into the soft tissue through the lymph nodes. The tumor involved five of six left jugular lymph nodes, with extranodal extension. Metastatic carcinoma involved six of seven regional pretracheal lymph nodes.13 Feb 2013 12:27:03 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=5107f582c7cce6