Publications by authors named "W. Edward Visser"

Article Synopsis
  • The text reviews various studies to explore the link between thyroid function and body measurements like BMI and weight in the general population.
  • A systematic search of databases yielded 64 studies for qualitative analysis and 21 for quantitative analysis, involving over 107,000 participants, revealing some associations between TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and BMI.
  • The findings suggest higher TSH levels are linked to higher BMI and weight, while higher FT4 (free thyroxine) levels are associated with lower BMI and weight, but highlight the need for more robust longitudinal studies due to limited evidence.
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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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  • 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Background: Graves' disease (GD) is caused by the production of TSH-receptor (TSHR) stimulating auto-antibodies. Over the years various TSHR-antibody (TRAb) detection assays have been developed. Most clinical laboratories use competitive TSH-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) assays, which measure the total amount of stimulating and blocking auto-antibodies.

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Aortic aneurysms, which may dissect or rupture acutely and be lethal, can be a part of multisystem disorders that have a heritable basis. We report four patients with deficiency of selenocysteine-containing proteins due to selenocysteine Insertion Sequence Binding Protein 2 (SECISBP2) mutations who show early-onset, progressive, aneurysmal dilatation of the ascending aorta due to cystic medial necrosis. Zebrafish and male mice with global or vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)-targeted disruption of Secisbp2 respectively show similar aortopathy.

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Introduction: Thyroid specialists influence how hypothyroid patients are treated, including patients managed in primary care. Given that physician characteristics influence patient care, this study aimed to explore thyroid specialist profiles and associations with geo-economic factors.

Methods: Thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to respond to a questionnaire, Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists: an International Survey (THESIS).

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Objective: The aim of this Meta-analysis is to evaluate the impact of different treatment strategies for early postoperative hypoparathyroidism on hypocalcemia-related complications and long-term hypoparathyroidism.

Data Sources: Embase.com, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the top 100 references of Google Scholar were searched to September 20, 2022.

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Background: Thyroid hormone signaling is essential for development, metabolism, and response to stress but declines during aging, the cause of which is unknown. DNA damage accumulating with time is a main cause of aging, driving many age-related diseases. Previous studies in normal and premature aging mice, due to defective DNA repair, indicated reduced hepatic thyroid hormone signaling accompanied by decreased type 1 deiodinase (DIO1) and increased DIO3 activities.

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Objective: Evidence-based treatment guidelines for the management of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia are absent. The aim of this study was to evaluate a newly developed symptom-based treatment algorithm including a protocolized attempt to phase out supplementation.

Methods: In a prospective multicenter study, patients were treated according to the new algorithm and compared to a historical cohort of patients treated with a biochemically based approach.

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Objective: Thyroglobulin measurement is the cornerstone of modern management of differentiated thyroid cancer, with clinical decisions on treatment and follow-up based on the results of such measurements. However, numerous factors need to be considered regarding measurement with and interpretation of thyroglobulin assay results.

Design: The present document provides an integrated update to the 2013 and 2014 separate clinical position papers of our group on these issues.

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Article Synopsis
  • Postpartum depression (PPD) significantly affects both mothers and their children, and there’s debate on how thyroid function and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) are linked to PPD.
  • A study measured levels of thyroid hormones and TPOAb in pregnant women and assessed their mental health postpartum, but found no strong association between these thyroid factors and PPD.
  • The systematic review and meta-analysis included several studies and also showed high variability in results, concluding that while women with positive TPOAb should be monitored, there’s no clear evidence connecting it with PPD.
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Context: Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) deficiency is a rare neurodevelopmental and metabolic disorder, with daily care posing a heavy burden on caregivers. A comprehensive overview of these complex needs and daily care challenges is lacking.

Design: We established an international prospective registry to systemically capture data from parents and physicians caring for patients with MCT8 deficiency.

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