Medical Consequences of Chernobyl with Focus on the Endocrine System - Part 2.

In the last 70 years, atomic disasters have occurred several times. The nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl in 1986 in North-Central Ukraine was a unique experience in population exposures to radiation by all ages, and ongoing studies have brought a large amount of information effects of radiation on human organism. Concerning the deteriorating global security situation and the strong rhetoric of some of the world leaders, the knowledge on the biological effects of ionizing radiation and the preventive measures designed to decrease the detrimental effects of radiation gains a new dimension, and involves all of us.

Medical consequences of Chernobyl with focus on the endocrine system: Part 1.

In the last 70 years, atomic disasters have occurred several times. The nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl in 1986 in North-Central Ukraine was a unique experience in population exposures to radiation by all ages, and ongoing studies have brought a large amount of information on effects of radiation on human organism. Concerning the deteriorating global security situation and the strong rhetoric of some of the world leaders, the knowledge on the biological effects of ionizing radiation and the preventive measures designed to decrease the detrimental effects of radiation gains a new dimension, and involves all of us.

Thyroid autoimmunity in children with features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Aim/hypothesis: To assess the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) in insulin-treated youth with clinical features of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: We evaluated prevalence of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (TGA) antibodies at onset of insulin-treated diabetes and follow-up in 183 White and Black children. Of these, 136 had a body mass index (BMI) <85th percentile with 122 (89%) positive for beta-cell autoimmunity [type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)/group I], 25 were overweight (BMI >or=85 th percentile) with or without acanthosis nigricans with beta-cell autoimmunity ['double' diabetes (DD)/group II], and 22 were overweight with no conventional beta-cell autoantibodies (group III).

The use of filter paper-dried blood spots for thyroid-antibody screening in adults.

Thyroid-antibody screening is recommended for several adult populations, including the elderly and pregnant and postpartum women, and analysis of filter paper-dried blood spots (DBSs) has been a cost-effective means of screening newborns for hypothyroidism for more than 30 years. The aim of this study was to show that DBS specimens can be used to test adults for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) antibodies and thyroid antibodies during screening for thyroid disease in a community setting. Thyroid peroxidase antibody and thyroglobilin antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits for serum have been adapted for use with DBSs.

Genetic and environmental influences on thyroid hormone variation in Mexican Americans.

Thyroid hormones play major roles in the regulation of a wide range of metabolic and physiologic processes, but the genes and environmental factors that affect normal, quantitative variation in thyroid hormone concentrations are largely unknown. Using quantitative genetic methods, we evaluated the effects of genes and environmental factors on thyroid hormone variation in 586 women and 425 men from 27 randomly ascertained Mexican-American families from the San Antonio Family Heart Study. Data were available on free and total T(4), free and total T(3), TSH, thyroglobulin, and T(4)-binding globulin, as well as on covariates, including sex, age, weight, lifestyle habits, physical activity, and others.

Menstrual cycle differences between women with type 1 diabetes and women without diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate menstrual cycle histories among women with type 1 diabetes, their sisters, and unrelated control subjects without diabetes across all reproductive ages.

Research Design And Methods: Menstrual and reproductive histories were obtained by questionnaire from 143 women with type 1 diabetes, 186 sisters without diabetes, and 158 unrelated control subjects without diabetes participating in the Familial Autoimmune and Diabetes study.

Results: Women with type 1 diabetes had more menstrual problems (long cycles, long menstruation, and heavy menstruation) before age 30 years than sisters and control subjects.