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Biomedical subjects

E Martino

Publications and source records attributed to E Martino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Iodine contamination in subjects admitted to a general hospital.

Urinary iodine excretion was measured in 300 consecutive patients admitted to a general hospital for nonthyroidal disease. Iodine contamination (values greater than 300 micrograms l/g creatinine) was found in 29.3% of cases, mostly due to amiodarone and iodinated contrastographic agents. The source of iodine contamination was not detected in 23% of cases.

Adolescent

The course of thyroid abnormalities during lithium treatment: a two-year follow-up study.

A total of 116 patients on lithium treatment were followed up for 2 years to determine the course and the clinical relevance of thyroid abnormalities. Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were transitory in most patients, except those with serum antithyroid antibodies. The patients who initially had microsomal antibodies remained positive, with an increase in titre in two-thirds of cases. Three young patients of both sexes developed thyroid autoimmunity early in the treatment. The risk of developing hypothyroidism was higher in women, especially in the presence of antibodies. TSH concentrations were significantly lower when carbamazepine was combined with lithium.

Adult

Gastrin (G) cells are the cellular site of the gastric thyrotropin-releasing hormone in human fetuses and newborns. A chromatographic, radioimmunological, and immunocytochemical study.

In this study we analyzed the ontogeny and location of gastric TRH in human fetuses, preterm and term newborns, and adults. TRH immunoreactive cells were found in the antrum towards the bottom of developing glands and double immunostaining demonstrated that this neuropeptide is coexpressed with gastrin in the same cell (G-cell). In the youngest fetuses studied (12 weeks) G cells were few and contained both gastrin and TRH. They increased in number during development and were most abundant between 26 and 36 weeks of gestation. These morphological data correlated with total immunoreactive TRH content extracted from the whole stomachs of six fetuses and two preterm infants. On the contrary G cells containing both hormones were decreased in the newborn at term and not identified in the adult whereas those containing only gastrin were numerous in both. The TRH extracted was indistinguishable from synthetic TRH using chromatographic, radioimmunologic, and enzymatic criteria. As has already been reported, TRH was found in insulin-containing cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of our fetuses and newborns. These cells presented a similar development pattern to the gastric G cells.

Adult

Acute development of low T3 syndrome and changes in pituitary-adrenocortical function after elective cholecystectomy in women: some differences between young and elderly patients.

From two groups of female patients (young group: 15 patients aged less than 25 years; elderly group: 15 patients aged more than 65 years) who were subjected to cholecystectomy, blood samples were obtained on the day before surgery, on the day of surgery before premedication and after waking up from anaesthesia and also on days 1, 3 and 7 after surgery. In aliquots of sera the levels of TSH, ACTH, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) and cortisol were estimated with the aid of radio-immunoassay (RIA). The differences between the young and elderly subjects were evaluated with the aid of four different statistical tests. Though no changes in the level of T4 were found, the level of T3 was significantly decreased and that of rT3 was significantly increased on Day 1 after surgery. However, the decrease of T3 was expressed more significantly in the young group and, in addition, an increase of rT3 in the same group was found even before premedication. The level of TSH showed a sharp increase at the end of surgery, which was expressed more in the young group. Though no differences between groups were observed in a sharp peak of the ACTH level during surgery, the increase of cortisol level in the elderly group was significantly higher and remained so during the post-operative period.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Circulating antibodies to DNA-related antigens in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders.

A high prevalence of antibodies to double-stranded DNA (AbDNAds) has been recently reported in serum of patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, but the specificity of this finding has been questioned. For this reason, the prevalence of several antibodies to DNA-related nuclear antigens (AbDRENA) has been evaluated in sera of patients with autoimmune and non-autoimmune thyroid disease. The study group included: 46 Graves' disease patients, 28 Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients, 25 patients with toxic nodular goitre and 11 with non-toxic nodular goitre. Twenty-eight Graves' patients were retested during methimazole (MMI) therapy, and 5 after radioiodine administration. Twenty-two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 28 normal subjects served as positive and negative controls, respectively. AbDRENA included: AbDNAds by RIA or immunofluorescence (IF); antibodies to single-stranded DNA (AbDNAss) and antibodies to histone (AbHist) by ELISA methods; antibodies to nuclear antigens (ANA) by immunofluorescence. RIA values were considered to be abnormal when 2 SD above the mean of normal controls. In our study 13% of Graves' patients were positive for AbDNAds by RIA: all of them had negative tests by IF; 11% were positive for AbDNAss, 2% for AbHist and 7% for ANA. A comparable prevalence of positive results for AbDNAds by RIA, with negative IF tests, was found in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients. No significant changes of antibody levels were observed in Graves' patients during MMI treatment or after radioiodine administration. A positivity for AbDNAds or AbDNAss was found in 8% of patients with toxic nodular goitre, but in none of those with non-toxic goitre.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Percutaneous intranodular ethanol injection for treatment of autonomously functioning thyroid nodules.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is the assessment of percutaneous intranodular ethanol injection (PNEI) as an alternative therapeutic procedure to classic surgery and radioiodine administration in autonomously functioning thyroid nodule treatment. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with hot nodules (18 pretoxic and 19 toxic) have been treated by means of PNEI under ultrasonographic guide. Ninety-five percent ethanol in a mean dose of 25 ml has been used. RESULTS: Nearly 80% of the patients showed normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and a complete recovery of extranodular tissue at scintiscan. All nodules decreased strikingly in size, many becoming undetectable. Mild and transient side effects were seen in 9% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: PNEI seems to be a feasible procedure on outpatients. It is safe when performed by a well-trained staff using ultrasonographic control. It may be carried out at any age and in patients at risk for surgery. PNEI can be considered a useful alternative to surgery and radioiodine administration in all autonomously functioning thyroid nodules and particularly in pretoxic nodules.

Administration, Cutaneous

Therapy of Graves' disease with sodium ipodate is associated with a high recurrence rate of hyperthyroidism.

To evaluate the long-term efficacy of sodium ipodate (IPO) in the treatment of hyperthyroid Graves' disease, we studied 12 consecutive patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism treated only with 500 mg IPO po daily for several weeks to 22 months. Serum thyroid hormone concentrations markedly decreased and serum free T3 values normalized in all patients within 7 days of therapy. Five patients (42%, Group 1) were euthyroid after 6 weeks of IPO treatment and remained so until IPO was discontinued after 22 months. Recurrence of hyperthyroidism after drug withdrawal occurred in only one of these Group 1 patients, who was promptly responsive to a second course of IPO. In contrast, seven of 12 patients (58%, Group 2) relapsed with recurrent hyperthyroidism between 14 and 42 days of IPO therapy. After IPO was withdrawn, these Group 2 patients were treated with methimazole (20-30 mg/day, initial dose), but the therapeutic response was poor and delayed. Two patients were still hyperthyroid after 6 months of methimazole treatment. Elevated serum FT3 concentrations were observed in the Group 2 patients at 21 days following the early normalization of serum FT3 concentrations. No changes in serum thyroglobulin and thyroid microsomal and TSH-receptor autoantibody titers were observed in either groups during IPO therapy. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrate that IPO rapidly restores euthyroidism, but its prolonged administration is associated with a high rate of relapse of hyperthyroidism and a poor response to subsequent methimazole treatment and that long-term IPO administration does not affect humoral markers of thyroid autoimmunity.

Adolescent

Activation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in Graves' disease.

We studied blood coagulation and fibrinolysis activities in hyperthyroidism before and after methimazole or 131I. Fibrinopeptide A and B beta 15-42, in vivo indicators of thrombin and plasmin activity, were measured by RIA, while fibrinogen by the Clauss method. We studied 50 patients, affected by toxic diffuse goiter. We evaluated 21 of them before and after treatment. Fibrinogen, fibrinopeptide A, and B beta 15-42 were higher in patients than in controls (p less than 0.0001). There was no difference in fibrinopeptide A nor in B beta 15-42 before or after treatment. In euthyroidism fibrinogen returned to normal values. Inflammation of the thyroid gland secondary to autoimmunity may activate blood coagulation by release of tissue factor. High fibrinogen before treatment may be explained as an aspecific response. Since it persists in euthyroidism, autoimmunity could account for high fibrinopeptide A and B beta 15-42 aftertreatment.

Adolescent

Thyroid abnormalities during lithium treatment.

Thyroid function was evaluated in 150 Sardinian outpatients at different stages of lithium treatment. A visible and/or palpable goitre was found in 51% of patients, and there was no apparent correlation with the duration of treatment. No cases of symptomatic hypothyroidism were observed, but subclinical hypothyroidism was present in 19% of patients. The prevalence of specific antithyroid antibodies was positively correlated with age and duration of lithium treatment, and was higher in women. Subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in 53% of antibody-positive lithium-treated patients. Carbamazepine in combination with lithium was associated with significantly lower levels of total T4 and T3 than with lithium alone, and the ratios between total and free hormones were also decreased.

Adult

The nocturnal serum thyrotropin surge is abolished in patients with adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-dependent or ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome.

TSH secretion was evaluated in 10 patients with ACTH-dependent (pituitary microadenoma, n = 5) or ACTH-independent [adrenal adenoma (n = 4) or carcinoma (n = 1)] Cushing's syndrome, and in 12 normal controls matched for age and sex. Serum TSH concentration was assayed at night, from 2200-0200 h, and in the morning, both basally and 30 min after iv injection of 200 micrograms synthetic TRH. Patients with hypercortisolism showed significantly reduced serum total T4 and T3 and free T3 concentrations and increased serum reverse T3 levels. Their mean baseline serum TSH concentration in the morning, albeit slightly lower, did not significantly differ from those of controls. The mean peak TSH value after TRH was significantly reduced, and a blunted TSH response to TRH was found in 4 out of 10 patients. At variance with normal controls, who showed nighttime TSH values 63-228% higher than morning values, 9 out of 10 patients had nighttime levels not different from or even lower than those in the morning; the remaining patient had nighttime TSH values marginally (33%) higher than in the morning. An inverse relationship (r = 0.80, P less than 0.001) was found between serum cortisol and TSH values both at night and in the morning. No differences were found either in the pattern of TSH secretion or in the TSH response to TRH between patients with ACTH-dependent and those with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome. These results show a substantial impairment of TSH secretion, and in particular the loss of the nocturnal surge of the hormone, in patients with Cushing's syndrome. Although the origin of the nocturnal TSH rise is probably multifactorial, cortisol, at least when secreted in excess, appears to play an important role in its regulation.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

The lack of nocturnal serum thyrotropin surge in patients with nontoxic nodular goiter may predict the subsequent occurrence of hyperthyroidism.

TSH secretion, with particular regard to the nocturnal TSH surge, was evaluated in 115 subjects with non-toxic nodular goiter. All patients were clinically and biochemically euthyroid. After 18-36 months of follow-up (mean, 24 months), hyperthyroidism occurred in 21 (18%; group 1), while the remaining 94 remained euthyroid (82%; group II). The analysis of hormonal data at the time of first observation showed that the 2 groups had similar total and free T4 and T3 serum concentrations. Morning serum TSH values in group I were lower than those in group II patients (0.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.1 mU/L; P less than 0.001); this difference was even more striking for the nocturnal values (0.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 2.2 +/- 0.2 mU/L; P less than 0.0001); nocturnal values were significantly lower than morning values in group II, but not in group I. The mean peak TSH value after TRH was also significantly reduced in group I (5.5 +/- 0.4 vs. 9.2 +/- 0.7 mU/L; P less than 0.001). Morning TSH values in group II did not differ from those in controls (1.3 +/- 0.1 mU/L), whereas nocturnal and TRH stimulated peak TSH values were slightly but significantly lower. The nocturnal serum TSH values in control subjects were 62-390% higher than morning values. The nocturnal TSH surge was abolished in 18 of 21 (86%) group I patients and in 7 of 94 (8%) group II patients. TRH testing resulted in an absent or blunted TSH responses in 5 subjects in group I and 6 in group II. Analysis by the Galen and Gambino predictive model; comparing the abolition of the nocturnal TSH surge and the abnormal TRH test as predictors of the subsequent occurrence of hyperthyroidism, showed that the former had higher sensitivity (86% vs. 24%) and predictivity (72% vs. 45%). In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrate that the evaluation of the nocturnal TSH surge may be useful in identifying patients with nontoxic nodular goiter in whom hyperthyroidism may eventually occur. Patients who lack the nocturnal serum TSH surge are more prone to develop thyroid hyperfunction; their thyroid status should, therefore, be more carefully and frequently monitored.

Adult

Circulating thyroid and gastric parietal cell autoantibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with complex abnormalities of immunoregulation and a role of autoimmunity in its pathogenesis has been accepted. MS is reportedly associated with several autoimmune diseases, but few studies are available on the prevalence of organ-specific autoantibodies in this condition. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb), anti-thyroid microsomal (MAb) and gastric parietal cell (PCA) antibodies in 113 patients (63 females, 50 males, age ranging 15-62 years) with MS and in 51 neurological controls. The diagnosis of MS was made according to McDonald and Halliday criteria. TgAb and/or MAb were detected by passive hemagglutination in 19 (16.8%) patients with MS and in 3 (5.9%) of the controls. All positive TgAb and/or MAb were observed in MS females (19/63 = 30.1%), with significantly higher frequency than in female controls (X2 = 5.15, p less than 0.025). The presence of circulating thyroid antibodies was higher in patients with clinically definite or progressive probable MS and in those with long standing disease. In contrast with thyroid antibodies, no difference in the frequency of PCA, as assessed by radioimmunoassay, was observed between MS and controls. These data support a specific association between thyroid autoimmunity and MS. The appearance of thyroid autoimmune phenomena seems to be related to the reliability of the diagnosis of MS and the duration of the disease.

Adult

The differentiation-inducing agent sodium butyrate produces divergent effects on albumin and thyroxine-binding globulin synthesis by human hepatoblastoma-derived (Hep G2) cells.

The addition of sodium butyrate, a differentiation-inducing agent, to the culture medium of human hepatoblastoma-derived (Hep G2) cells, produced a dose-dependent and time-dependent increase in albumin (ALB) and decrease in T4-binding globulin (TBG) synthesis and secretion. In the presence of 0.01 to 2.0 mM sodium butyrate, newly synthesized [35S]ALB progressively increased up to 139% of control cultures grown in the absence of sodium butyrate, whereas TBG synthesis was already slightly inhibited using the lowest concentrations of this agent and further diminished thereafter. The use of 5 mM and 10 mM sodium butyrate inhibited the synthesis of both proteins, probably as a consequence of toxic effects on cell cultures. The addition of 1 mM sodium butyrate for variable time intervals caused an increase in the amount of ALB recovered in the medium up to 146% after 72 h, and a decrease of TBG up to 44% of controls. These different effects on ALB and TBG occurred concomitantly with an inhibition of cell growth, as shown by the reduction in the cell number/flask compared to control cultures. At the highest sodium butyrate concentrations, a relevant impairment in the secretion of newly synthesized TBG, but not of ALB, also occurred. These divergent effects on ALB and TBG synthesis by Hep G2 cells might be related to biochemical differentiation induced by sodium butyrate in this tumoral cell system, suggesting that TBG synthesis is increased in Hep G2 cells because of their neoplastic nature.

Albumins

Neonatal hypothyroidism induces striatal dopaminergic dysfunction.

Oral administration of the antithyroid drug methimazole (50 mg/kg per day) to rats during the last six days of pregnancy, and subsequent daily s.c. injection of methimazole (20-30 mg/kg) to their pups from birth to postnatal day 30 provoked hormonal and somatic alterations resembling (with all caution to any association between rodent and human data) those of congenital hypothyroidism. The steady-state concentrations of striatal dopamine were similar in hypothyroid and euthyroid, 32-day-old rats, while the levels of the dopamine metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic and homovanillic acids were markedly decreased in hypothyroidism. The results of this and our earlier study [Vaccari A. and Gessa G. L. (1989) Neurochem. Res. 14, 949-955] show that the maximal synaptosomal uptake of [3H]dopamine, an index for the density of nigrostriatal dopaminergic terminals, and the maximum number of membrane [3H]tyramine binding sites, reflecting the concentration of the vesicular transporter for dopamine, were decreased in the hypothyroid striatum. There was also a loss of those D1-type dopaminergic receptors claimed to be located on neurons intrinsic to the striatum, and, consequently, dopamine-stimulated, D1-regulated adenylate cyclase activity was depressed. It is suggested that individual dopaminergic nerve endings in the neonatal hypothyroid striatum must contain more dopamine, owing to some loss of pertinent innervation and, therefore, to the presence of less vesicular transport sites for dopamine. Hypothyroidism-related decreases in the maximum number of striatal D1- and, reportedly, D2-receptors, plus the impairment of D1-coupled second messenger activity, may play a role in the derangement of those neurobehavioural patterns where a dopaminergic regulation is putatively implied.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid

Lack of nocturnal serum thyrotropin surge after surgery.

The effects of surgery on TSH secretion, with particular regard to the nocturnal TSH surge, were evaluated in 10 consecutive patients followed for 6 days after surgery. Surgical trauma was associated in all patients with significant decreases in serum total and free T3 and a significant increase in serum rT3 levels, with no variations in serum total and free T4 concentrations. A marked increase in serum cortisol levels was observed, with higher values at night than in the morning. Serum cortisol levels and circadian rhythm normalized on the fifth day. Serum TSH values in the morning significantly decreased on the first day after surgery and returned to normal on the second day. Serum TSH values at night (2400-0200 h) were higher than in the morning preoperatively, but the nocturnal surge was abolished from days 1-5 after surgery and was restored only on the sixth day. Thus, surgery was associated with a prolonged loss of the nocturnal serum TSH surge. This effect on TSH secretion was more marked than predictable on the basis of serum TSH measurements in the morning alone. An inverse relationship was found between serum cortisol and serum TSH values at night, suggesting that the excessive endogenous cortisol secretion might play a role in the derangement of TSH secretion.

Adult