Carotid intima-media thickness is not associated with vitamin D and PTH levels in patients admitted to an Internal Medicine Department.

Vitamin D (25OHD) and/or parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels have been associated with common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). We investigated such associations in inpatients consecutively admitted to an Internal Medicine Department. In 168 consecutive patients admitted to our department, 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured by means of RIA and PTH by means of ICMA, whereas IMT by means of ultrasonography.

Type 2 deiodinase polymorphism (threonine 92 alanine) predicts L-thyroxine dose to achieve target thyrotropin levels in thyroidectomized patients.

Context: Type 2 deiodinase (D2) converts T4 in T3 in several human tissues, including hypothalamus and pituitary, and, therefore, plays a pivotal role in the negative feedback regulation of TSH secretion. A common variant of the gene, threonine (Thr) 92 alanine (Ala), has been identified and associated with decreased D2 enzymatic activity.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate whether this polymorphism predicts the T4 dosage needed to obtain target TSH levels in thyroidectomized patients.