Is occupationally induced exposure to radiation a risk factor of thyroid nodule formation?

The prevalence of thyroid nodules was studied with ultrasonography in a group of male hospital workers (n = 44) who had been exposed occupationally to x-rays. This group was compared with a group of nonexposed workers (n = 88) who were age- and sex-matched with the exposed workers. Thyroid nodules were detected in 18 (41%) of the exposed workers, compared with 11 (13%) of the nonexposed controls.

Risk of thyroid nodules in subjects occupationally exposed to radiation: a cross sectional study.

Objectives: To examine, by ultrasonography the prevalence of thyroid nodules in a cross sectional study of male medical workers occupationally exposed to chi radiation at the Pisa hospital, in comparison with controls matched for age and sex.

Methods: 50 male medical workers exposed to radiation were randomly matched for age (+/- 2 years) with 100 male workers not occupationally exposed to ionising radiation who lived in a slightly iodine deficient area of Tuscany (Lunigiana) (control group 1), and with 100 male workers not exposed to radiation who lived in the same area (Pisa) (control group 2).

Results: Of the occupationally exposed subjects, thyroid nodules were detected in 19/50 (38.

Prospective, randomized, double-blind study about effectiveness of levothyroxine suppressive therapy in prevention of recurrence after operation: result at the third year of follow-up.

Background: Levothyroxine has often been given to patients operated on for nodular goiter to prevent recurrence. The rationale is that suppression of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), considered to be the main growth factor in this disease, can be obtained by administration of levothyroxine.

Methods: Sixty patients undergoing operation for nontoxic nodular goiter were randomized in two groups: (1) thirty-two were administered levothyroxine at substitutive dosage (100 micrograms) or placebo and (2) twenty-eight were given levothyroxine at suppressive dosage (2.

Demeclocycline-induced phosphate diabetes in a patient with inappropriate ADH secretion and systemic sarcoidosis.

We report a case of phosphate diabetes in a patient with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) associated with sarcoidosis. Our patient was affected by systemic sarcoidosis and he fits the criteria of Schwartz for the diagnosis of SIADH. He presented with phosphate diabetes which appeared during demeclocycline (DMC) therapy and persisted for about 1 month from the end of DMC.

Calcitonin, as SMS 201-995, ameliorates the VIPoma syndrome.

A 72-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for diarrhea, abdominal and back pain, weight loss, low serum potassium level. Pathological findings and high circulating Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) levels allowed us to diagnose "VIPoma syndrome". The patient underwent a treatment with SMS 201-995 with improvement of symptomatology and reduction of circulating VIP levels.

[Liver function tests, hepatitis A, B, C markers and HIV antibodies in patients with Basedow's ophthalmopathy treated with intravenous immunoglobulins].

Recent reports of transmission by intravenous gamma-globulin preparations of A, B, C and non-A non-B hepatitis (NANBH), including several cases that progressed to severe liver damage and death, have raised concerns about the safety of intravenous gamma-globulins. To assess this issue 15 patients treated with high-dose "intravenous immunoglobulin" (IVIG) for Graves' Ophthalmopathy had serial determination of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT), alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin that were performed regularly at interval of 3 weeks during IVIG treatment and 6 months after the end of the treatment. Hepatitis A, B, C and HIV markers were determined before, during and 6 months after the end of the treatment.

[Parameters of organ-specific and non-specific autoimmunity in patients with Basedow's disease and Basedow's ophthalmopathy. Changes induced by IVIG treatment].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations of thyroid autoantibodies titre in a group of 15 patients affected with "Graves' disease" (G. D.) during the treatment with antithyroid drug (ATD) and "high dose intravenous immunoglobulin" (IVIG) for "Graves' ophthalmopathy".

[Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins].

We report the effect of "intravenous gamma-globulin treatment" (IVIG) in a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type II, with circulating organ specific autoantibodies, preclinical hypothyroidism, amenorrhea and Addison syndrome. During IVIG treatment we observed a normalization of thyroid function, the appearance of some non ovulatory menses, reduction of thyroglobulin, thyroidal microsomal, anti-parietal cell, adrenal and ovary antibodies. These data confirm that intravenous immunoglobulin may represent a new tool for treatment of autoimmune disorders and show, for the first time, an immunosuppressive effect of intravenous gammaglobulin treatment in immunological phenomena direct against ovary, adrenal and gastric mucosa.

[Changes in markers of autoimmunity in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis treated with intravenous immunoglobulins. Preliminary results].

We have evaluated the variations of thyroid function, of thyroid autoantibodies titer, of non-organ specific autoantibodies and of other autoimmunity indices in 3 patients affected with Hashimoto's thyroiditis treated with "high dose intravenous gammaglobulin" (IVIG) (400 mg/Kg/day for 3 cycles of 5 days and subsequently 9-12 cycles of 1 day every 21 days). Before the starting of IVIG treatment patient 1 presented clinically evident hypothyroidism while patients 2 and 3 presented a preclinical form of hypothyroidism. At the end of IVIG treatment patients presented no variation of thyroid function, while patients 2 and 3 presented a normalization of T3, T4 and TSH circulating levels.

Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion in a patient with systemic sarcoidosis.

A 59 year old man presenting fever, serum hyponatremia and hypoosmolality in association with hyperosmotic urine was hospitalized in our unit in February 1988. We demonstrated evidence of systemic sarcoidosis and inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). The patient was treated with corticosteroid therapy for a period of about 1 year, with regression of signs of the inappropriate vasopressin secretion as well as the symptomatology related to systemic sarcoidosis.

[Results of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of patients with pretibial myxedema and Basedow's disease. Preliminary findings].

Three patients affected with Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial myxoedema have been treated with high dose intravenous immunoglobulins. We have observed in all patients clinical improvement of pretibial myxoedema and a parallel reduction or negativization of the titre of circulating thyroglobulin, microsomal, TSH receptor autoantibodies and of non organ-specific antibodies (antinuclear, anti smooth muscle cells and antimitochondrial autoantibodies). In conclusion the results of this study suggest that intravenous immunoglobulin are effective in the treatment of pretibial myxoedema and probably act by an immunomodulation of autoimmune phenomena.

Treatment of the carcinoid syndrome with somatostatin, salmon calcitonin, or octreotide.

Three patients with the carcinoid syndrome received intravenous somatostatin (3.5 micrograms/min) for one day; intravenous salmon calcitonin (8 IU/hr) for one day; subcutaneous salmon calcitonin (100 IU three times daily) for ten days; and subcutaneous octreotide (150 micrograms three times daily) for ten days. Octreotide (SMS-201.