scholarly journals SUN-LB87 De-Novo Graves Ophthalmopathy After Total Thyroidectomy With Exacerbation Following Rifampicin Therapy for Latent Tuberculosis: A Call for Attention to Disease Modifying Interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigal Shaklai ◽  
Yonit Marcus-Perlman ◽  
Ainat Klein ◽  
Naftali Stern ◽  
Yona Greenman

Abstract Introduction Factors influencing development and course of ophthalmopathy, the most common extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease, remain poorly defined. Clinical Case A 46 year old healthy, non-smoking, medical secretary, presented with Graves’ disease. Laboratory investigation showed thyrotoxicosis with high thyroid stimulation immunoglobulin (TSI) levels (1608 %, normal <140%). At presentation there was no evidence of thyroid eye disease on clinical exam and orbital MRI. Treatment with Methimazol and PTU induced severe pruritus and she underwent total thyroidectomy. One month after surgery she presented with retroorbital pain, eyelid edema and chemosis, as well as bilateral limitation in abduction; a clinical activity score (CAS) of 3/7. She received IV pulse methylprednisolone 4.5 gr with minor improvement. MRI showed bilateral thickening of all rectus muscles with orbital fat infiltration. TSI increased concomitantly to 3600%. Three months later, she underwent standard retrobulbar radiotherapy (20 Gy), again with only minor improvement. She continued treatment with oral prednisone 20mg with small fluctuations in disease activity in the following months during which TSI remained high (3145%) and latent tuberculosis was detected (elevated interferon-gamma release assay). Therefore, rifampicin 600mg/d was started. A month later the ophthalmopathy worsened (a CAS score of 5/7 without optic neuropathy). Laboratory tests showed new perturbation in thyroid function tests (TSH increased from 5 to 15 mIU/l, normal: 0.5-5; FT4 decreased from 16 to 11 pmol/l, normal: 10-20) and TSI increased to 3879%. Euthyrox dose was increased by 50% from 800 to 1200 microgram/week. It was postulated that prednisone was also being rapidly metabolized by rifampicin mediated induction of the CYP450, and therefore the dose was increased from 20 to 40 mg/d. Six weeks later, normalization of thyroid function tests was followed by improvement in the ophthalmopathy (CAS-3). Conclusion (Clinical lesson) A) De-novo severe Graves’ ophthalmopathy after thyroidectomy requiring multiple forms of treatment is rare but close surveillance is advisable, perhaps particularly in the presence of high TSI. A plausible mechanism may be transient increase in antigenic exposure/dissemination during surgery. B) Rifampicin, through induction of cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of levothyroxine, steroids and mycophenolate (the latter not used in our patient) can lead to disease flare-up. Tight clinical and laboratory monitoring of thyroid function tests with individualized dose escalation might be needed. In the future, pharmacogenomics may serve to personalize treatment protocols.

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. e231337
Author(s):  
Michael S Lundin ◽  
Ahmad Alratroot ◽  
Fawzi Abu Rous ◽  
Saleh Aldasouqi

A 69-year-old woman with a remote history of Graves’ disease treated with radioactive iodine ablation, who was maintained on a stable dose of levothyroxine for 15 years, presented with abnormal and fluctuating thyroid function tests which were confusing. After extensive evaluation, no diagnosis could be made, and it became difficult to optimise the levothyroxine dose, until we became aware of the recently recognised biotin-induced lab interference. It was then noticed that her medication list included biotin 10 mg two times per day. After holding the biotin and repeating the thyroid function tests, the labs made more sense, and the patient was easily made euthyroid with appropriate dose adjustment. We also investigated our own laboratory, and identified the thyroid labs that are performed with biotin-containing assays and developed strategies to increase the awareness about this lab artefact in our clinics.


Author(s):  
Iskender Ekinci ◽  
Hande Peynirci

Background: There are limited data about the factors affecting the response time to medical treatment in Graves’ disease (GD) although many studies examined the predictors of the relapse after drug withdrawal. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the time for becoming euthyroid under antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy and the parameters influencing this period in patients diagnosed as GD.Methods: Patients with newly-diagnosed GD and decided to treat with ATD initially between March 2017 and September 2018 were retrieved retrospectively. Sociodemographic features as well as laboratory parameters like thyroid function tests and thyroid-stimulating hormone-receptor antibody (TRab) at the time of diagnosis were recorded.Results: Out of 41 patients, 63.4% (n=26) were female. The mean age was 36.1±11.7 years and 43.9% (n=18) of them were smoking. The time between the initiation of treatment and the duration of becoming euthyroid was 2.4±1.8 months. No significant difference was noted between age, gender, and smoking status and the time to become euthyroid under ATD treatment. This period was significantly positively correlated with levels of free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and negatively correlated with thyroid-stimulating hormone. Response to ATD therapy was higher in patients with pre-treatment TRab levels <10 IU/l than TRab ≥10 IU/l (p=0.011).Conclusions: Pretreatment thyroid function tests and TRab levels may be taken into consideration before deciding treatment in patients with newly diagnosed GD. It would be useful to design more comprehensive studies so that this proposal can find a response in clinical practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asami Hotta ◽  
Tomohiro Tanaka ◽  
Haruka Kato ◽  
Shota Kakoi ◽  
Yuki Shimizu ◽  
...  

We report of a case of Graves’ ophthalmopathy presented solely with symptoms of the eyes with normal thyroid function tests and negative immunoreactive TSH receptor autoantibody. 40-year-old male was referred to our hospital due to 2-month history of ocular focusing deficit without any signs or symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism. Serum thyroid function tests and 99mTc uptake were both within the normal range. Anti-thyroid autoantibodies were all negative except for the cell-based assay for serum TSH receptor stimulating activity. Since orbital CT scan and MRI gave typical results compatible with Graves’ ophthalmopathy, we treated the patients with corticosteroid pulse therapy and orbital radiation therapy, leading to a partial improvement of the symptoms. This case gives insights into the potential pathophysiologic mechanism underlying Graves’ ophthalmopathy and casts light upon the difficulties of establishing the diagnosis in a euthyroid case with minimal positive results for anti-thyroid autoantibodies.


1984 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 259-272
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Foley

The diagnostic evaluation of the patient with thyromegaly will be determined by the clinical history and an examination of the thyroid gland (Table 9). In most instances the diagnosis will not be in doubt, and only a few tests will be necessary. For example, the euthyroid adolescent female with an asymmetrically or symmetrically enlarged, firm thyroid gland has a presumptive diagnosis of CLT, and only tests of thyroid function (T4 and TSH) and thyroid antibodies may be needed for confirmation. Similarly, the patient with clinical symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism, exophthalmus, and a diffusely enlarged, soft thyroid gland has a presumptive diagnosis of Graves disease. The necessary tests include only a measurement of T4, an estimate of free T4, and WBC and differential counts prior to the initiation of antithyroid drug therapy. [See table in the PDF file] In the absence of an obvious diagnosis, the clinician will select the specific diagnostic tests depending upon the examination of the thyroid gland. The cause of smooth, symmetrical, diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland can be suspected with careful history for familial disease, history of exposure to goitrogens and goitrogenic drugs, and the determination of thyroid antibodies in serum. If the clinical history is suggestive of hyperthyroidism, the tests of thyroid function tests should include determination of serum T3 concentration; if the history is compatible with euthyroidism or hypothyroidism, thyroid function tests should include determination of serum TSH concentration for the presence of compensated primary hypothyroidism. If results of these tests are normal, no additional tests are necessary, and the patient should be reassured and seen again in six months. If the patient has a test that is negative for thyroid antibodies and an elevation of serum TSH concentration, a radioactive [123I]iodide uptake and perchlorate discharge test will be helpful in the diagnosis of familial dyshormonogenesis. The patient with constitutional symptoms of inflammatory disease, history of a recent upper tract respiratory infection, and a tender or nontender enlarged thyroid gland may have subacute thyroiditis; a low or absent uptake of radioiodine with high-normal or elevated T4 and T3 concentrations will be suggestive of that diagnosis. In patients with thyromegaly and mild symptoms of hyperthyroidism, a TRH test will help to discriminate hyperthyroxinemia secondary to increased or abnormal serum thyroxine binding proteins from early Graves disease, factitious hyperthyroidism, toxic thyroiditis, and TSH-mediated hyperthyroidism. The T3 suppression test is a definitive diagnostic test for early, mild Graves disease. The euthyroid patient with mild-to-moderate thyromegaly and tests that are negative for thyroid antibodies usually deserves no further diagnostic evaluation, but should be followed with a presumptive diagnosis of idiopathic goiter or mild CLT. On follow-up evaluation, initially at six-month intervals and subsequently at yearly intervals, the patient should have a clinical and biochemical assessment until thyromegaly regresses and the gland is normal in size and consistency. The patient with a nontender, firm, irregular enlargement of the thyroid gland usually has CLT. If results of thyroid function tests are normal and tests for thyroid antibodies are negative, the patient should be seen again in four to six months and serum thyroid antibody determinations again performed. Another test that may give abnormal results in patients with CLT is the perchlorate discharge test. The approach to the patient with the solitary thyroid nodule differs from that of the previously described clinical presentations. The most important studies for the patient with a thyroid nodule are those designed to determine the structure and consistency of the thyroid gland, namely, ultrasonography to distinguish between solid and cystic lesions, and the radionuclide scan to determine whether the nodule is functioning (hot) or nonfunctioning (cold). To assure that the thyroid nodule is not associated with a nonsurgical lesion such as Hashimoto thyroiditis, serum thyroid antibody determinations are important. As malignancy of the thyroid gland is usually not associated with abnormalities of thyroid function, it is important to perform laboratory tests to exclude hyperthyroidism (a serum T3 determination) and hypothyroidism (a serum TSH determination) at the time of initial evaluation. Additional tests are usually not necessary unless the patient had mild hyperthyroidism with an autonomously functioning nodule, in which case the T3 suppression test and TRH test are often useful; rarely, the TSH stimulation test is helpful in determing whether thyroid tissue throughout the remainder of the gland is suppressed. A solitary, solid, nonfunctioning (cold) nodule requires excisional biopsy.


Author(s):  
Abdul Waheed ◽  
Ghulam Shabir Mehar ◽  
Muhammad Razzaq Dogar ◽  
Junaid Hussain ◽  
Amrat Kumar ◽  
...  

Objective: To determine the malignancy in multinodular goiter by doing final histopathology of specimen.            Study Design: This is an observational study. Setting: Study carried out in the department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery of Khairpur Medical College Hospital Khairpur, from August 2016 to July 2019. Materials and Methods:  All those patients with MNG with or without thyrotoxicosis were selected and advised for Thyroid function tests, ultrasound thyroid and serum calcium level. FNAC was performed only in cases with suspicious nodule. All the patients under went total/near total thyroidectomy after all base line routine investigations along with thyroid function tests. Histopathological evaluation was also conducted. Results:  Out of total 70 patients with MNG, 17 (24.3%) cases were suspected of malignancy. Out of 17 suspicious cases, FNAc showed colloid goiter in 8 (47%), follicular in 7 (41%) cases and papillary in 2 (12%) cases. Final histopathology showed total 5 (29%) cases as malignant and remaining 12 (71%) cases were benign. Out of 5 malignant cases, 4 (80%) cases were papillary and 1 (20%) cases were Follicular cell carcinoma. While other 53 (75.7%) cases under went for near total thyroidectomy and specimens sent for histopathology, among these only 1 (2%) case found as Papillary cell Carcinoma. Total 6 cases were malignant out of which in which 5 cases were Papillary cell Carcinoma and one was Follicular cell Carcinoma.  Conclusion: We conclude that multinodular goiter is the most prevalent thyroid disease found in female. Follicular thyroid carcinoma is the most frequent cancer seen in this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Eapen ◽  
Hooman Oktaei

Abstract Introduction: Thyroid conditions are among the most common endocrine disorders. Diagnosis is dependent on interpretation of laboratory tests. The challenge comes when the clinical picture is discordant with laboratory results. Case Report: Patient is a 53-year-old male with history of cardiac transplantation, type 2 diabetes mellitus, history of amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism. He was noted to have labs indicative of hyperthyroidism, while taking amiodarone, in 2016-2017, which was treated with methimazole. He was then noted to have abnormal thyroid function tests with low TSH to 0.3 IU/L, normal T3 and normal T4 levels. Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin had been checked multiple times, and was normal, which is inconsistent with Graves’ disease. Prior radioactive iodine uptake scan, while off amiodarone, was noted to be normal. He was also scheduled for thyroidectomy at another hospital, which was cancelled due to normalization of thyroid function tests. Consultation was received for suppressed TSH to 0.323 IU/L, without symptoms of hyperthyroidism. He had been taking biotin during this time, which he subsequently stopped taking. Repeat TSH following discontinuation of biotin, was within normal range, most recent TSH 2.48 IU/L, free T4 1.03 ng/dL, free T3 2.7 pg/mL. Discussion: Thyroid function tests are commonly ordered. Interpretation of these tests relies on the provider’s understanding of thyroid physiology in addition to interferences with medications and other conditions. High doses of biotin, which people take as supplements for multiple sclerosis, or metabolic disorders, or for healthy nails and hair, can cause thyroid function test abnormalities. Streptavidin and biotin are used in some immunoassay platforms to capture antigens (TSH, free T4) or antibodies. High levels of serum biotin can inhibit the formation of T4 antibody complex, which results in a falsely high free T4 result. Conclusion: Thyroid Function tests should be interpreted very cautiously, especially in the setting of discordant clinical findings. Prior to ordering these tests, should attempt to obtain a detailed history of medications including over-the-counter supplements, which are commonly not reported during medication history. References:Elston, Marianne S., et al. “Factitious Graves’ Disease Due to Biotin Immunoassay Interference—A Case and Review of the Literature.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vol. 101, no. 9, 30 June 2016, pp. 3251-3255., doi:10.1210/jc.2016-1971. Koehler, Viktoria F., et al. “Fake News? Biotin Interference in Thyroid Immunoassays.” Clinica Chimica Acta, vol. 484, 30 May 2018, pp. 320-322., doi:10.1016/j.cca.2018.05.053. Soh, Shui-Boon, and Tar-Choon Aw. “Laboratory Testing in Thyroid Conditions - Pitfalls and Clinical Utility.” Annals of Laboratory Medicine, vol. 39, no. 1, 13 Jan. 2019, pp. 3-14., doi:10.3343/alm.2019.39.1.3.


1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Perrild ◽  
Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen ◽  
Karine Bech ◽  
Preben Ahlgren ◽  
Jens Mølholm Hansen

Abstract. Nine consecutive patients with unilateral ophthalmopathy with suspected endocrine pathogenesis were investigated with a TRH test, a T3 suppression-test, thyroid autoantibodies and a subsequent computerized tomography (CT)-scan. All patients were clinically and biochemically euthyroid. Seven of 9 patients had a normal TRH test and 6 of 7 had a normal T3 suppression test. Slightly to moderately elevated microsomal and thyroglobulin (determined with radioimmunoassay) autoantibodies were found in 5 of 8 patients and in 1 patient thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI) were found. Three of the patients had normal thyroid function tests and no detectable thyroid autoantibodies. The subsequent CT-scan revealed that one of these had a maxillary tumour protruding into the orbita. The remaining 8 patients had enlargement of one (3 patients) or more (5 patients) eyemuscles. Two of the 8 patients had bilaterally enlarged eyemuscles, one of which was the patient with positive TSI. The remaining 6 patients had unilateral extraocular muscle enlargement. Thus, 2 of 9 patients had ophthalmopathy without thyroid dysfunction so-called isolated autoimmune ophthalmopathy or Graves' ophthalmopathy. Thyroid function tests seem to be of limited value in the diagnosis between endocrine and non-endocrine eye disease, and we recommend the use of diagnostic imaging (e.g. CT-scan) in patients with unilateral exophthalmus in order to diagnose malignant processes.


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