Publications by authors named "Visser W"

Objectives: To evaluate glycosylated fibronectin (GlyFn) as a novel biomarker for preeclampsia and preeclampsia-related complications, and to compare GlyFn to traditional biomarkers, including soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factor (PlGF).

Study Design: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study (n = 524) with suspected preeclampsia (control), gestational hypertension (GH), or confirmed preeclampsia/hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets syndrome (PE/HELLP).

Main Outcome Measures: GlyFn levels in PE/HELLP versus control and GH.

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Microarray and Single-Molecule Molecular Inversion Probe (smMIP)-based targeted RNA sequencing are two RNA profiling platforms for identifying disease-associated biomarkers. The microarray uses a GeneChip array with oligonucleotide probes to measure expression levels across thousands of genes, while smMIPs capture and quantify RNA transcripts and transcript variants via next-generation sequencing. To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms, a comparative gene expression profiling study was conducted using RNA samples from 52 prostate tissues (normal, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and various prostate cancer (PCa) grades).

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Objectives: Previous genetic and animal studies indicated a causal role of thyroid hormones in osteoarthritis (OA), which has not been observed in the general population. We aimed to investigate whether thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) were associated with hand, hip, or knee OA.

Methods: Participants from the Rotterdam Study with baseline TSH, FT4, and joint radiographs were included.

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Despite the abundance of data concerning biologic treatments for patients with psoriasis, clinicians are often challenged with discerning the optimal treatment for each patient. To inform this selection, this study explored whether a patient's baseline characteristics or disease profile could predict the likelihood of achieving complete skin clearance with biologic treatment. Machine-learning and other statistical methods were applied to the substantial data collected from patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the ongoing, international, prospective, observational Psoriasis Study of Health Outcomes (PSoHO).

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Article Synopsis
  • An online survey of European thyroid specialists revealed that 28% believe thyroid hormone (TH) treatment may be appropriate for euthyroid patients with growing simple goiters, despite guidelines against this practice.
  • There were significant regional differences in support for TH treatment, with only 7% in The Netherlands compared to 78% in the Czech Republic.
  • Factors influencing the likelihood of recommending TH included the specialist's age and the historical iodine insufficiency of their region, while gender, country, and economic factors showed weak associations.
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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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Delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation heralds a worse prognosis. In patients with hyperoxaluria, the incidence of DGF is high. Oxalic acid is a waste product that accumulates when kidney function decreases.

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Elevated concentrations of T3 and T4 concomitant with nonsuppressed TSH are found in both TSH-producing tumors and resistance to thyroid hormone beta (RTHβ), posing a diagnostic challenge. We demonstrate here a 54-year-old female who presented with palpitations, goiter, and elevated free T4 with nonsuppressed TSH concentrations (TSH 2.2 mIU/L [normal range, NR 0.

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Background: Establishing local trimester-specific reference intervals for gestational TSH and free T4 (FT4) is often not feasible, necessitating alternative strategies. We aimed to systematically quantify the diagnostic performance of standardized modifications of center-specific nonpregnancy reference intervals as compared to trimester-specific reference intervals.

Methods: We included prospective cohorts participating in the Consortium on Thyroid and Pregnancy.

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Article Synopsis
  • E-liquids with "nicotine salts" are popular due to their low pH, which allows nicotine to exist mostly in a form that is easier to inhale, increasing their addictiveness.
  • A benchtop NMR spectroscopy method was utilized to measure the protonation state of nicotine in 33 different e-liquids, allowing researchers to categorize them into two groups: free-base and protonated nicotine.
  • The study found that the vaping process does not change the protonation state of nicotine, and most e-liquids' packaging accurately reflected their nicotine salt content.
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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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Purpose: The use of thyroid hormones (TH) to treat obesity is unsupported by evidence as reflected in international guidelines. We explored views about this practice, and associations with respondent characteristics among European thyroid specialists.

Methods: Specialists from 28 countries were invited to a survey via professional organisations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Malnutrition is a common issue in kidney failure patients, and traditional body weight measurements are not sufficient for assessing muscle mass, prompting the use of bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) to estimate fat-free mass (FFM).
  • The study analyzed CT scans of 60 patients to compare BIS-derived FFM and lean tissue mass (LTM) against CT-derived FFM, discovering strong correlation but significant individual variation in FFM measurements.
  • Results indicated that while FFM was a better predictor for determining protein requirements in patients, substantial discrepancies between FFM measurements could have clinically relevant impacts on nutritional management.
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Thyroid hormone transporters are essential for thyroid hormones to enter target cells. Monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 8 is a key transporter and is expressed at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), in neural cells and many other tissues. Patients with MCT8 deficiency have severe neurodevelopmental delays because of cerebral hypothyroidism and chronic sequelae of peripheral thyrotoxicosis.

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Background: T cell immunity plays a pivotal role in mitigating the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, reliable functional T cell assays are required to evaluate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cell immunity in specific patient populations.

Methods: We recruited a cohort of 23 healthcare workers who received their bivalent Omicron BA.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study addresses the significant impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) on patients and society in the Middle East and Africa, proposing health policy interventions to lessen this burden.
  • - A scoping review and expert panel led to recommendations in five key areas: capacity building, guidelines, research, public awareness, and patient support, with a strong emphasis on patient education and multidisciplinary care.
  • - The findings suggest that with a targeted action plan, decision-makers can effectively develop national strategies tailored to reduce the burden of AD by focusing on impactful, feasible, and cost-effective measures.
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Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) is the most specific thyroid hormone transporter identified to date, deficiency of which has been associated with severe intellectual and motor disability and abnormal serum thyroid function tests. However, it is presently unknown if MCT8, similar to other thyroid hormone transporters, also accepts additional substrates, and if disruption of their transport may contribute to the observed phenotype. In this study, we aimed to identify such substrates by applying liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolome analysis in lysates of control and MCT8-overexpressing oocytes.

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Background: Lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) increase the risk for persistent and recurrent disease. Data on the predictive value of histopathological features of lymph node metastases, however, are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of known and new histopathological features of lymph node metastases in a well-defined cohort of PTC patients with clinically evident lymph node metastases.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study analyzed data from 65,559 participants across 25 cohorts, focusing on risk factors like maternal age, BMI, and antibody positivity while excluding those with pre-existing thyroid issues.
  • * Results indicated a screening rate of 58% among high-risk cohorts, with minimal variation in risk for hypothyroidism based on age and BMI, and TPOAb/TgAb positivity significantly correlated with higher risks for overt and subclinical hypothyroidism.
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Background: To study whether the use of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors (TNFi) by pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis affects sFlt-1 (soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1), PlGF (placental growth factor), or their impact on birthweight.

Methods And Results: sFlt-1 and PlGF were measured in all trimesters of pregnancy in the Preconception Counseling in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis study and were compared according to the use of TNFi. The association of sFlt-1 and PlGF with birthweight in relation to TNFi was determined.

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Hypothyroidism is common, however, aspects of its treatment remain controversial. Our survey aimed at documenting treatment choices of European thyroid specialists and exploring how patients' persistent symptoms, clinician demographics, and geo-economic factors relate to treatment choices. Seventeen thousand two hundred forty-seven thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to participate in an online questionnaire survey.

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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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Combined nutrition and exercise interventions potentially improve protein-energy wasting/malnutrition-related outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim was to systematically review the effect of combined interventions on nutritional status, muscle strength, physical performance and QoL. MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for studies up to the date of July 2023.

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Importance: Current measures of alopecia areata (AA) severity, such as the Severity of Alopecia Tool score, do not adequately capture overall disease impact.

Objective: To explore factors associated with AA severity beyond scalp hair loss, and to support the development of the Alopecia Areata Severity and Morbidity Index (ASAMI).

Evidence Review: A total of 74 hair and scalp disorder specialists from multiple continents were invited to participate in an eDelphi project consisting of 3 survey rounds.

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