Publications by authors named "Medici M"

Epidemiological data suggest the population distribution of thyrotropin (TSH) values is shifted toward lower values in self-identified Black non-Hispanic individuals compared with self-identified White non-Hispanic individuals. It is unknown whether genetic differences between individuals with genetic similarities to African reference populations (GSA) and those with similarities to European reference populations (GSE) contribute to these observed differences. We aimed to compare genome-wide associations with TSH and putative causal TSH-associated variants between GSA and GSE groups.

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Defects at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are among the earliest hallmarks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). According to the "dying-back" hypothesis, NMJ disruption not only precedes but also triggers the subsequent degeneration of motoneurons in both sporadic (sALS) and familial (fALS) ALS. Using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we show that the RNA-binding protein HuD (ELAVL4) contributes to NMJ defects and apoptosis in FUS-ALS.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hypothyroidism is a widespread condition characterized by a deficiency of thyroid hormone, leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance, but often requiring biochemical tests for diagnosis.
  • The most common cause is autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's), although other factors like certain medications and surgeries can also lead to the condition.
  • Levothyroxine is the primary treatment, effective in many cases, but some patients continue to experience symptoms or abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, prompting discussion on treatment approaches and thresholds.
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Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies showed an association between hypothyroidism and cataract and between high-normal free thyroxine (FT4) and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but not between FT4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), or hyperthyroidism and diabetic retinopathy or cataract. These studies included a limited number of genetic variants for thyroid function and did not investigate autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) or glaucoma, include bidirectional and multivariable MR (MVMR), and examine sex differences or potential mediation effects of diabetes. We aimed to address this knowledge gap.

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Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric complication with high associated morbidity. Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is used to treat severe PPH when uterotonics fail to stop bleeding. However, data on the safety of rFVIIa treatment of severe PPH from adequately powered trials are lacking.

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Background: The 2022 WHO Classification categorizes oncocytic (OTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) based on the degree of capsular and vascular invasion into minimally invasive (MI), encapsulated angioinvasive (EA) and widely invasive tumors (WI). While associations with clinical outcomes have been studied extensively in FTC, robust clinical data are lacking for OTC. We aimed to investigate the impact of the reclassification of OTC and FTC by the 2022 WHO Classification on clinical outcomes.

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Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement is the diagnostic cornerstone for primary thyroid dysfunction. There is high inter-individual but limited intra-individual variation in TSH concentrations, largely due to genetic factors. The currently used wide population-based reference intervals may lead to inappropriate management decisions.

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Introduction: Thyroid hormones have systemic effects on the human body and play a key role in the development and function of virtually all tissues. They are regulated via the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and have a heritable component. Using genetic information, we applied tissue-specific transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and plasma proteome-wide association studies (PWAS) to elucidate gene products related to thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels.

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Background: Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI) play a central role in the pathogenesis of Graves' orbitopathy (GO), while soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) is a marker for T-cell activity. We investigated TSI and sIL-2R levels in relation to thyroid function, disease activity and severity and response to treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) in patients with GO.

Methods: TSI (bridge-based TSI binding assay), sIL-2R, TSH and fT4 levels were measured in biobank serum samples from 111 GO patients (37 male, 74 female; mean age 49.

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Early defects at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are among the first hallmarks of the progressive neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). According to the "dying back" hypothesis, disruption of the NMJ not only precedes, but is also a trigger for the subsequent degeneration of the motoneuron in both sporadic and familial ALS, including ALS caused by the severe pathogenic variant P525L. However, the mechanisms linking genetic and environmental factors to NMJ defects remain elusive.

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Background: Genome-wide association studies have reported a genetic overlap between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). Epidemiologically, the direction and causality of the association between thyroid function and risk of BPD and SCZ are unclear. We aim to test whether genetically predicted variations in TSH and FT4 levels or hypothyroidism are associated with the risk of BPD and SCZ.

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Context: Risk factors for radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory disease in follicular (FTC) and oncocytic thyroid carcinoma (OTC) are unknown.

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify clinical and histopathological risk factors for RAI-refractory disease in FTC and OTC patients, facilitated by an extensive histopathological revision.

Methods: All adult FTC and OTC patients treated at Erasmus MC (the Netherlands) between 2000 and 2016 were retrospectively included.

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Article Synopsis
  • A genome-wide association study was conducted on thyroid function, analyzing data from up to 271,040 European individuals, focusing on hormones like TSH, FT4, and T3.
  • The study identified 259 significant genetic associations for TSH (61% were novel), and notable findings for FT4 and T3, indicating that specific genes influence thyroid hormone levels and metabolism.
  • The research findings enhance the understanding of thyroid hormone roles and suggest that variations in thyroid function may impact various health conditions including cardiovascular issues, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
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Context: An association of thyroid function with mood disorders has been widely suggested, but very few studies have examined this association longitudinally.

Objective: We assessed the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between thyroid function and depression in a population-based cohort.

Methods: A total of 9471 individuals were included in cross-sectional analyses, of whom 8366 had longitudinal data.

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Increased height has been associated with increased risk of hypothyroidism or thyroid cancer in epidemiological studies. However, the potential causal association between height and hypothyroidism or thyroid cancer has not been thoroughly explored. Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) mainly presents as hypothyroidism, thus we aim to evaluate the causal relationship between height as exposure and its association with AITD or thyroid cancer.

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Background: Reference intervals of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT) are statistically defined by the 2·5-97·5th percentiles, without accounting for potential risk of clinical outcomes. We aimed to define the optimal healthy ranges of TSH and FT based on the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Methods: This systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis identified eligible prospective cohorts through the Thyroid Studies Collaboration, supplemented with a systematic search via Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar from Jan 1, 2011, to Feb 12, 2017 with an updated search to Oct 13, 2022 (cohorts found in the second search were not included in the IPD).

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited monogenic disorder with high prevalence throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East, and India. Sources of SCD epidemiology remain scarce and fragmented. A systematic literature review (SLR) to identify peer-reviewed studies on SCD epidemiology was performed, with a search of bibliographic databases and key conference proceedings from 1 January 2010 to 25 March 2022 (congress abstracts after 2018).

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Context: Skeletal fragility is observed in 30% to 60% of acromegaly patients, representing an emerging complication of the disease that increases disability. Despite several studies having investigated the clinical and hormonal prognostic factors for the occurrence of vertebral fractures (VFs) in acromegaly, very few data are available on their prevention/treatment including the effect of vitamin D (VD) supplementation, which has been reported to have a fracture-protective effect in several studies in patients with osteoporosis.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the role of cholecalciferol (D3) supplementation in the prevention of incident VFs (i-VFs) in acromegaly.

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Objective: Genome-wide association studies in adults have identified 42 loci associated with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and 21 loci associated with free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations. While biologically plausible, age-dependent effects have not been assessed. We aimed to study the association of previously identified genetic determinants of TSH and FT4 with TSH and FT4 concentrations in newborns and (pre)school children.

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Objective: Thyroid hormone (TH) transport represents a critical first step in governing intracellular TH regulation. It is still unknown whether the full repertoire of TH transporters has been identified. Members of the solute carrier (SLC) 22 family have substrates in common with the known TH transporters of the organic anion-transporting peptide family.

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Thyroid hormones play a key role in differentiation and metabolism and are known regulators of gene expression through both genomic and epigenetic processes including DNA methylation. The aim of this study was to examine associations between thyroid hormones and DNA methylation. We carried out a fixed-effect meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of blood DNA methylation sites from 8 cohorts from the ThyroidOmics Consortium, incorporating up to 7073 participants of both European and African ancestry, implementing a discovery and replication stage.

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The hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis coordinates brain development and postdevelopmental function. Thyroid hormone (TH) variations, even within the normal range, have been associated with the risk of developing common psychiatric disorders, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To get new insight into the potentially shared mechanisms underlying thyroid dysfunction and psychiatric disorders, we performed a comprehensive analysis of multiple phenotypic and genotypic databases.

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The lack of drinkable water is one of the most significant risks for the future of the humanity. Estimates show that in the near future, this risk will become the origin of massive migrations leading to humanitarian disaster. As consequence, the development of solutions to provide water is becoming ever more critical, and a significant effort is devoted to identifying new sources of water.

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