A patient-specific treatment model for Graves' hyperthyroidism.

Background: Graves' is disease an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland caused by circulating anti-thyroid receptor antibodies (TRAb) in the serum. TRAb mimics the action of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and stimulates the thyroid hormone receptor (TSHR), which results in hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) and goiter. Methimazole (MMI) is used for hyperthyroidism treatment for patients with Graves' disease.

Impact of thyroid disease on testicular function.

Introduction: Testis was considered unresponsive to thyroid hormone for a long time. However, like in animals, the presence of thyroid hormone receptors in different testicular cell types was demonstrated also in humans. Accordingly, thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism have remarkable effects on testicular function and more extensively on fertility.

Managing chronic myeloid leukaemia in the elderly with intermittent imatinib treatment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a non-standard, intermittent imatinib treatment in elderly patients with Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia and to answer the question on which dose should be used once a stable optimal response has been achieved. Seventy-six patients aged ⩾65 years in optimal and stable response with ⩾2 years of standard imatinib treatment were enrolled in a study testing a regimen of intermittent imatinib (INTERIM; 1-month on and 1-month off). With a minimum follow-up of 6 years, 16/76 patients (21%) have lost complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and major molecular response (MMR), and 16 patients (21%) have lost MMR only.

Circadian and Circannual Rhythms in Thyroid Hormones: Determining the TSH and Free T4 Reference Intervals Based Upon Time of Day, Age, and Sex.

Background: Establishing the reference interval for thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (T4) is clinically important because a number of disease states have been linked to alterations in TSH and free T4 concentrations that are within the 95% confidence interval for normal thyroid hormone values. Age, sex, time of day, and ethnicity are known to affect circulating levels of TSH and free T4 but have not been used to establish reference intervals. The purpose of this study was to define the reference interval for TSH and free T4 taking into account age, sex, ethnicity, and circadian and circannual variability.

Myoinositol improves sperm parameters and serum reproductive hormones in patients with idiopathic infertility: a prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.

Male infertility is a multifactorial disorder that affects a significant percentage of couples. Its etiology and pathogenesis remain elusive in about one-third of the cases; this is referred to as idiopathic infertility. Inositols mediate the sperm processes involved into oocyte fertilization, such as penetration of the ovum cumulus oophorus, binding with the zona pellucida and the acrosome reaction.

A patient-specific model of the negative-feedback control of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis.

The purpose of modelling the negative-feedback control mechanism of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis is to describe the clinical course of euthyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism for patients. Thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels are controlled by negative-feedback control through thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). T4, like other hormones, can be bound or unbound; the unbound T4 (FT4) is used as a marker for hypothyroidism.

A 2010 update on occult hepatitis B infection.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection is a challenging issue whose virological and clinical relevance has been a source of long-lasting debate. By definition, OBI is characterized by the persistence of HBV-DNA in the liver tissue (and in some cases also in the serum) in absence of HBsAg. According to the HBV serological profile, OBI may be antibody (anti-HBc alone or together with anti-HBs) positive (seropositive OBI) or antibody negative (seronegative OBI).

Detection of circulating autoantibodies against thyroid hormones in an infant with permanent congenital hypothyroidism and her twin with transient congenital hypothyroidism: possible contribution of thyroid hormone autoantibodies to neonatal and infant hypothyroidism.

Premature, very-low-birth-weight female twins were diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Thyroid hormone antibodies (THAb) directed against triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) of both the IgM and IgG class were detected in both twins. At age 10 months, a rise in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) occurred in both infants and measurement of THAb at the same time revealed the appearance of IgM-T4 and IgG-T4 and an increase in IgG-T3 levels in twin 1 (permanent CH), and with a slight increase of IgM-T4 and IgG-T4 levels and appearance of IgM-T3 in twin 2 (transient CH).

Iloprost infusion in diabetic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and foot ulcers.

The aim of the study was to evaluate iloprost infusion as an alternative to open surgical revascularisation in diabetic patients with foot ulcers, also as a support measure in conjunction with endovascular procedures. We studied 244 patients with critical ischaemia of the lower limbs, 146 of whom (59.8%) affected by diabetes.

First-ever stroke incidence and 30-day case fatality in the Sicilian Aeolian archipelago, Italy.

Background And Purpose: Not many data on stroke epidemiology come from studies on islands. This is the first report on a Mediterranean archipelago population.

Methods: Using recommended criteria, from July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2002, information was collected on first-ever stroke and 30-day case fatality in Aeolian island residents (13,431).

Effect of fluvoxamine on plasma risperidone concentrations in patients with schizophrenia.

The effect of fluvoxamine on plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone) was investigated in 11 schizophrenic patients with prevailingly negative or depressive symptoms. Additional fluvoxamine, at the dose of 100 mg/day, was administered for 4 weeks to patients stabilized on risperidone (3-6 mg/day). Mean plasma concentrations of risperidone, 9-OH-risperidone and the active moiety (sum of the concentrations of risperidone and 9-OH-risperidone) were not significantly modified following co-administration with fluvoxamine.

[Hypoparathyroid risk after total thyroidectomy].

From January 1970 to December 1999, 881 patients with thyroid pathology underwent surgery consisting in 551 subtotal thyroidectomies and 330 total thyroidectomies. Permanent hypocalcaemia was present in 32 patients (3.6%).

Non-sequencing molecular approaches to identify preS2-defective hepatitis B virus variants proved to be associated with severe liver diseases.

Background/aims: PreS2-defective hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants may emerge during chronic HBV infection. These variants carry mutation(s) at the ATG-start-codon and/or in-frame deletion into the preS2 genomic region and are commonly detected by sequencing analyses. We evaluated the prevalence of these variants in a large series of chronic HBV infected patients through non-sequencing molecular approaches.

Bilateral neonatal adrenal abscess. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Neonatal adrenal abscess is an extremely rare condition. 32 cases, 4 bilateral, have been described in the world literature. We treated successfully other two bilateral cases.

[Surgical treatment of rectal prolapse with transanal resection according to Altemeier. Experience and results].

In recent years the number of patients with partial or total rectal prolapse has increased. Numerous techniques and surgical approaches have been described for its treatment. In this study we examine the main ones and stress the advantages of the transanal-perineal resection technique according to Altemeier and modified by Prasad, which we have used to treat the condition in the last 15 years.

[Iatrogenic lesions of the femoral vessels during hernia surgery].

The vascular lesions in hernia surgery are difficult to be found: on the basis of three cases personally treated and on literature data, the authors dwell upon the factors that influence the frequency of this event, they discuss about the therapeutic choices and they illustrate the short and long term prognosis.

TT virus has a ubiquitous diffusion in human body tissues: analyses of paired serum and tissue samples.

The tissue tropism and possible correlation with liver disease of the TT virus (TTV) as well as its prevalence and genotype distribution remain undefined. TTV-DNA was investigated in paired sera and tissue samples from 144 patients, and sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) from additional six subjects. Of the 144 tissue samples, 128 were liver biopsy specimens from subjects with hepatic disease while 16 were surgically obtained nonliver specimens from patients with extrahepatic disease.

[Surgical treatment of anal stenosis following hemorrhoid surgery. Results of 150 combined mucosal advancement and internal sphincterotomy].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of anoplasty by mucosal advancement combined with internal sphincterotomy for the treatment of iatrogenic anal stenosis. From January 1990 to December 2000, 149 patients with post-haemorrhoidectomy anal strictures underwent internal sphincterotomy and mucosal advancement flap anoplasty. Seventy-one percent of patients were operated on under local anaesthesia by perineal block according to Marti.

[Surgical treatment of acute respiratory failure caused by mediastinal goiter. Clinical experience and results].

In the regions where goitre is endemic, onset of the disease with acute respiratory insufficiency caused by thyroid compression is an uncommon situation requiring a rapid diagnosis and urgent surgical treatment. From January 1997 to December 2000 we observed 81 patients with thyroid pathologies, (69 males and 12 females; mean age 64 years). We found colloid-cystic goitre in 39 cases, adenomatous goitre in 26, carcinoma in 12, Hürthle's cell tumours in 3 and inflammatory disease in 1.