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In mild cases, it is difficult to diagnose pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI). There is no gold standard method for the diagnosis of PEI. A reliable method is needed for preliminary diagnosis of PEI. The PEI-TEST was applied to the patients with nonspecific gastrointestinal complaints. Serum amylase, lipase, serum trypsinogen, and fecal elastase 1 (FE-1) were analyzed from each patient. According to the PEI-TEST, PEI was present in 42 (47.7%) and PEI was not present in 46 (52.3%) patients. No significant difference was observed between the 2 groups with regard to age, gender and amylase, lipase, serum trypsinogen, and FE-1. When an FE-1 value of <200 µg/dL was considered as indicating PEI, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were found to be 47.4% and 52.2%, respectively. Although it is promising that PEI-TEST is a validated test in our country and suitable for our society, it is not suitable for pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To date, numerous molecular tests have been developed for preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules. Nevertheless, these tests cannot be administered in many centers due to their imprecise diagnoses and high costs. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of making surgical decisions in a panel through a multidisciplinary approach after clinical, ultrasonographic, and pathological evaluation of nodules on the accuracy of the decisions. Methods: The retrospective study included patients with thyroid nodules who underwent preoperative ultrasonography followed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy, which was confirmed by postoperative pathological examinations between January 2017 and January 2019. The relationship between ultrasonography features of nodules and malignancy was analyzed. A comparison was performed between patients who were referred for surgery through the multidisciplinary versus non-multidisciplinary approach. Results: A total of 255 nodules in 211 patients were evaluated in the study. The prevalence of malignancy was 100% in nodules with hypoechogenicity + microcalcification + margin irregularity (P < .001). The likelihood of malignancy was significantly higher in dual combinations of these 3 adverse conditions (P < .001 for all). Margin irregularity was found to be the most predictive model for malignancy (CI: 1.9-13.8, odds ratio: 5.249, P < .001). The multidisciplinary approach was superior to the non-multidisciplinary approach in the detection of malignancy (P = .008). Conclusion: Margin irregularity had the highest predictive value for the detection of malignancy. Employing the multidisciplinary approach in preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules can be highly effective in detecting malignancy and preventing unnecessary surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]