The role of clinical guidelines in patient care: thyroid hormone replacement in women of reproductive age.

Background: Clinical guidelines have a role in medical education and in the standardization of patient care. However, it is not clear whether guidelines created by subspecialists reach relevant practicing physicians or influence patient care. In 2007 the Endocrine Society released "Guidelines on the Management of Thyroid Dysfunction During Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinomas: big decisions for a small tumor.

Background: The clinical significance of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is debated, and therefore the rise in incidence of PTMC creates management dilemmas. The following study evaluates factors influencing decisions to treat.

Materials And Methods: Between 1994 and 2007, 1361 patients underwent thyroid surgery at a single institution.

Higher serum thyroid stimulating hormone level in thyroid nodule patients is associated with greater risks of differentiated thyroid cancer and advanced tumor stage.

Context: TSH is a known thyroid growth factor, but the pathogenic role of TSH in thyroid oncogenesis is unclear.

Objective: The aim was to examine the relationship between preoperative TSH and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Design: The design was a retrospective cohort.

Percutaneous coronary intervention vs. medical therapy: what are the implications for women?

There have been eight major studies assessing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) vs. medical therapy in the past 10 years. Women were inadequately represented in many of these studies, but because of similar long-term survival curves in women and men, most of the PCI data can be applied to women until more trials are published.