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Calcium is an essential element for human health, with key roles in the prevention and therapy of multifactorial conditions. Calcium dietary intake is often insufficient in the general population. The aim of this study was to perform a clinical audit for general practitioners (GPs) to understand the efficacy of training intervention on doctors' awareness about dietary calcium and supplements.General practice outpatients were enrolled (Before Clinical Audit, BCA) from the same sanitary district, and calcium dietary intake was evaluated with a validated questionnaire, also collecting information about the consumption of calcium and vitamin D supplements. Then, a training intervention with a frontal lesson and discussion with GPs involved was performed. After one month of this intervention, a second outpatient enrolment was performed (Post Clinical Audit, PCA) in the same general practices to evaluate differences in nutritional suggestions and supplement prescription by GPs. In BCA, the calcium dietary intake was low, with nobody reaching 1000 mg as suggested by the guidelines. Only 6.6% and 24.5% took calcium and vitamin D supplements, respectively; in the PCA, these percentages increased to 28% and 78% for calcium and vitamin D supplements, respectively (p 0.01 PCA vs BCA). There were no differences in calcium dietary intake between BCA and PCA.Training intervention on GPs was successful to sensitize them regarding calcium intake problems; GPs tended to increase the prescription of supplements but not to suggest changes in dietary habits.

The role of thyrotropin (TSH) on the cardiovascular system has been poorly investigated. It is unknown whether the changes in the vasculature associated with thyroid diseases result from altered thyroid hormone action or whether they are a consequence of a direct effect of TSH on endothelial cells. The present study was designed to evaluate the endothelial response of coronary flow to TSH in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) without cardiovascular risk factors.The study population consisted of three men and seven women (MLeft ventricular morphology and systolic and diastolic function were normal in all patients. Levels of thyroid hormones and thyroglobulin and antithyroglobulin antibodies did not differ significantly pre- versus post-rhTSH treatment, whereas TSH levels were higher after rhTSH administration. Blood pressure and heart rate were not affected by rhTSH. Coronary flow peak velocity at rest (22.3 ± 6 vs 23.2 ± 8.7; p = 0.66) did not differ between baseline and 24 h after rhTSH, while post-CPT velocity (29.3 ± 6.8 vs 34.4 ± 10.9; p 0.05) and the CFR were higher after rhTSH administration (1.32 ± 0.2 vs. 1.53 ± 0.2; p 0.01).rhTSH administration may improve the CFR after the non-pharmacological stressor CPT in DTC patients. The increase of coronary blood flow after rhTSH suggests that TSH may exert a protective effect on the coronary endothelium.

Background: Thyroid function abnormalities and thyroid autoantibodies have been frequently described in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases as Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Serum TSH levels are higher in SSc patients with more severe skin diseases and a worse modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). Asymptomatic esophageal involvement due to SSc has never been described as a cause of severe hypothyroidism due to L-T4 malabsorption in patients with HT and SSc. Case report: Here we report a case of a 56-year-old female affected by both SSc and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) who developed severe hypothyroidism due to the loss of therapeutic efficacy of L-thyroxine (L-T4). Therapeutic failure resulted from the altered L-T4 absorption because of SSc esophageal complications. Clinical findings improved after the administration of oral liquid L-T4. Thyroid function completely normalized with a full clinical recovery, the disappearance of the pericardial effusion and the improvement of the pulmonary pressure. Conclusion: A recognition of a poor absorption is crucial in patients with hypothyroidism and SSc to reduce the risk of the subsequent adverse events. This case suggests the importance of clinical and laboratory surveillance in patients with SSc and HT because the systemic complications of these dysfunctions may worsen the prognosis of hypothyroid SSc/HT patients.

The aim was to retrospectively analyse the clinical–histopathological characteristics of patients with newly diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) referred to two Italian centres, one in Northern and the other in Southern Italy, between 2000 and 2013. 1081 patients were included and subdivided into two groups: group A (474 patients from Novara) and group B (607 patients from Naples). The group A came from the industrial area of Novara, while the Group B came from the areas around Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei. The two groups were comparable for iodine levels, body mass index, diagnostic timing and clinical procedures. For all patients, demographic and clinical data were collected. No difference was found in gender, whereas the age at diagnosis was later in the group A (group A 53.1 ± 15.16 years, group B 41.9 ± 14.25 years, p < 0.001). In both groups, the most frequent histotype was papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with prevalence of follicular variant in group A (p < 0.0001) and classical variant in group B (p < 0.0001). Aggressive histological features were mainly seen in group A (bilaterality p < 0.0001, multifocality p < 0.0001 and thyroid capsular invasion p < 0.0001). Microcarcinomas were more frequent in group A (p < 0.0001) but mostly characterized by bilaterality (p < 0.001) and multifocality (p < 0.04). In both groups, tumour-associated thyroiditis showed a significant increase over the years (group A p < 0.05, group B p < 0.04). Environmental factors could justify the differences found in our study. These preliminary data should stimulate the need for an Italian Cancer Registry of DTC in order to allow an epidemiological characterization, allowing the identification of specific etiological factors and an improvement in the management of the disease

Introduction: Radioiodine (RAI) therapy for treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) requires high serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels to induce a sufficient iodine uptake within thyroid cells. Recombinant Human TSH (rhTSH) induces an exogenous TSH level increase without LT4 withdrawal. It is a valid alternative to LT4-withdrawal (LT4-W) to achieve the TSH levels required for RAI therapy. According to the recent American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines, candidates for RAI therapy should be selected based on their DTC risk of recurrence. Areas covered: In this review, we report the studies assessing the effects of rhTSH on RAI ablation compared to thyroid hormone withdrawal in patients with thyroid cancer at different ATA risk of recurrence. We focus our attention on high risk patients and metastatic disease in which RAI treatment is routinely recommended although there are few controversial data about the best possible way of preparing for it. Expert commentary: rhTSH-aided therapy is associated to a better quality of life and to a lower body radiation exposure. Several studies have reported an equivalent efficacy of RAI ablation after TSH stimulation with rhTSH or LT4-W in patients with DTC at low and intermediate risk of recurrence. Although more studies are required, the results are promising even in patients with high risk DTC and metastatic disease. ©

Spindle epithelial tumor with thymus-like differentiation (SETTLE) is a very rare tumor of the thyroid gland. An algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of SETTLE has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to identify all case reports of SETTLE and to compare the clinical-pathological features and therapy of the cases identified. We performed a PubMed search for case reports of SETTLE in English published up to November 2014 in which "SETTLE" and "Spindle epithelial tumor with thymus-like differentiation" were keywords. We identified 35 articles for a total of 42 cases. We found that SETTLE usually occurs in children and adolescents as an asymptomatic neck mass. Thyroid function tests and tumor markers are invariably within normal range in all patients, and fine needle aspiration biopsy is rarely diagnostic for SETTLE. All 42 patients had undergone thyroidectomy. After surgical resection, chemotherapy (adjuvant or first/second-line treatment) and/or radiotherapy were administered to control tumor growth in cases with metastatic involvement. Although SETTLE presents a low-grade malignancy, it can metastasize to lymph nodes, the mediastinum, lung, vertebrae, and kidney even many years after the initial diagnosis. SETTLE may have a good prognosis if appropriately treated at initial presentation and if patients undergo long-term monitoring with regular clinical and morphological evaluations.

ContextAlthough coronary flow reserve (CFR) is reduced in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SHypo), the endothelial response of coronary vasomotion has never been explored in this clinical setting.ObjectiveTo investigate the endothelial response of coronary flow in young and middle-aged patients with SHypo, without associated cardiovascular risk factors compared with healthy control subjects.Patients and methodsThe study population consisted of 20 women (mean age 38.4+12.1 years) with newly diagnosed, untreated and persistent SHypo due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A total of 15 volunteers served as controls. Age, gender, body surface area, glucose, insulin levels, heart rate, systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure were similar in patients and controls. Body mass index was significantly higher in SHypo patients. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, despite not significant, tended to be higher, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to be lower in SHypo. Coronary blood flow velocities were recorded in patients at rest and after the cold pressor test (CPT), a stimulus that can be considered totally endothelium-dependent. CFR was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic-to-resting diastolic peak velocities.ResultsCoronary diastolic peak velocities at rest did not differ between the two groups but were significantly lower after CPT in patients with SHypo, thereby resulting in a lower CFR. The difference remained significant after adjusting resting and CPT velocities for the respective mean blood pressures. TSH was inversely correlated with CFR in the pooled population.ConclusionPatients with SHypo without associated cardiovascular risk factors have a coronary endothelial dysfunction that appears in response to a physiological stimulus (the CPT).

We report the history of a pitfall in thyroid histopathology of a 47-yr-old man with a euthyroid nodular goiter involving the right lobe. The ultrasound-guided fineneedle aspiration of the dominant (3 cm) nodule, showing benign-appearing follicular cells, colloid, and scattered Hurthle cells, was consistent with a benign hyperplastic nodule (1). Because the left lobe had not shown evidence of nodular disease, the patient was submitted to a right lobectomy. The pathologist described a heavy lymphoplasmacyticbackgroundwithoccasionalgerminalcenter formation, as observed in Hashimoto thyroiditis, and a microscopic ( 1cm) follicularproliferationofepithelial thyroidcellswhose nucleidisplayedmembrane irregularityandchromatinclearing with occasional grooves. Thus, a histological report of a follicular variant of papillary microcarcinoma was issued. The patient underwent a completion thyroidectomy at the Federico II UniversityofNaples.At thatoccasion, thecompletesetofslides from both surgeries was reviewed by expert pathologists in the field of thyroid disease.

6077 Background: Anti-angiogenic Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) represent the main systemic treatment for patients with refractory advanced thyroid cancer (TC), but may induce severe adverse even...

Our study was prompted by the observation that a large number of patients with DTC attending our hospital were from the area around the volcano Mt. Vesuvius (Campania, Italy). In an attempt to shed light on a possible association between volcanoes and DTC, we retrospectively examined 500 new cases admitted to the University of Federico II of Naples in Campania from 2000 to 2009. Age, sex, tumor size, lymph-node invasion, distant metastases, and cancer histotype were analyzed. We recorded the place of birth and of residence of each patient.In conclusion, we found a higher risk of papillary thyroid cancer and an earlier onset of this disease in the Vesuvius area than in other areas of Campania, although the risk was not as high as around Mt. Etna