Purpose: The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays a role in the pathogenesis of Graves' orbitopathy (GO). A possible protective role of autoantibodies against IGF-1R (IGF-1R-Abs) on GO has been suggested.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate IGF-1R-Abs in 147 consecutive Graves' disease (GD) patients, with (n = 92) or without (n = 55) GO (primary outcome), their relationship with GO features and their effect on cell proliferation in primary cultures of orbital fibroblasts.
J Endocrinol Invest
July 2025
Objective: Compared with methylprednisolone, a greater response of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) at 24 weeks was reported in patients treated with sirolimus (rapamycin) for 12 weeks. We investigated whether serum levels of sirolimus at week-12 predict the outcome of GO at week-24.
Methods: Retrospective investigation in 30 patients [males: 4; females: 26; age 61.
Treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH) in patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) remains a topic of debate. This study aimed to investigate the outcome of GO following glucocorticoids, depending on the chosen thyroid treatment. This retrospective cohort study included 49 consecutive patients with GH and moderate-to-severe, active GO, as defined by the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Thyroid J
December 2024
J Endocrinol Invest
March 2025
Background: In this study, we used targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to investigate the genetic basis of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in a 19-year-old Tunisian man who presented with severe hypothyroidism and goiter.
Case Presentation: The propositus reported the appearance of goiter when he was 18. Importantly, he did not show signs of mental retardation, and his growth was proportionate.
The ongoing digital revolution in the healthcare sector, emphasized by bodies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is paving the way for a shift towards person-centric healthcare models. These models consider individual needs, turning patients from passive recipients to active participants. A key factor in this shift is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has the capacity to revolutionize healthcare delivery due to its ability to personalize it.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is a highly sensitive and specific tumor marker, employed in post-operative management of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Tumor shrinkage of radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer (RAIR-DTC) treated with multitarget kinase inhibitors as lenvatinib, expressed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), is also associated with a drastic reduction of Tg levels. However, interference caused by circulating thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) represents the main limitation in the clinical use of Tg.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Endocrinol Metab
October 2023
Context: Prognosis is excellent for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasia with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFT-P), and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) but is poor for poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). Among PTCs, the prognosis is more favorable for follicular (FV-PTC) and classic (CV-PTC) than for tall cell (TCV-PTC), and solid (SV-PTC) variants.
Objective: To associate histotypes and variants of thyroid carcinoma with ultrasound and cytological features.
Background: The massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has granted a high level of protection against the severe forms of the disease at the price of some mild adverse events.
Objective: To underline that COVID-19 vaccination can induce a transient enlargement of lymph-node metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer patients.
Case Presentation: We describe the clinical, laboratory, and imaging features of a 60-year-old woman affected by paratracheal lymph-node relapse of Hurtle Cell Carcinoma who came to our attention after full COVID-19 vaccination because of neck swelling and pain.
Endocr Relat Cancer
July 2023
The relevance of thyroid autoimmunity to the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma is still unsettled. We decided to investigate the impact of thyroid autoimmunity on the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and the handling of TgAbs. We evaluated the clinical course of a large group of patients according to the presence (PTC-LT) or absence (PTC) of lymphocytic thyroiditis at histology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreakdown of self-tolerance to thyroid antigens (thyroperoxidase, thyroglobulin and the thyrotropin-receptor) is the driver of thyroid autoimmunity. It has been suggested that infectious disease might trigger autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). Involvement of the thyroid has been reported during severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, in the form of subacute thyroiditis in subjects with mild coronavirus disease 19 disease (COVID-19) and of painless, destructive thyroiditis in hospitalized patients with severe infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Destructive thyroiditis is the most common endocrine immune-related adverse event (iRAEs) in patients treated with anti-PD1/PD-L1 agents. Given its self-limited course, current guidelines recommend no treatment for this iRAE. Nevertheless, in patients with enlarged thyroid volume and a poor performance status, thyrotoxicosis may be particularly severe and harmful.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Endocr Soc
October 2021
Context: Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been related to subacute thyroiditis (SAT).
Objective: We compared SAT cases during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to those observed in the previous years.
Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted at the Endocrinology Unit of University Hospital of Pisa, Italy.
J Endocr Soc
September 2021
Context: Thyrotoxicosis is a common immune-related adverse event in patients treated with programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1) or programmed cell death protein ligand-1 (PD-L1) blockade. A detailed endocrinological assessment, including thyroid ultrasound and scintigraphy, is lacking, as are data on response to treatment and follow-up.
Objective: The aim of this study was to better characterize the thyrotoxicosis secondary to immune checkpoint inhibitors, gaining insights into pathogenesis and treatment.
Objectives: The thymus plays a central role in immune tolerance, which prevents autoimmunity. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is commonly associated with thymoma or thymus hyperplasia, and it can coexist with autoimmune thyroid diseases. However, the role of the thymus in thyroid autoimmunity remains to be clarified, which we investigated here.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Endocrinol Metab
October 2020
Objective: The association between chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT) and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) remains controversial. The incidence of DTC increases when screening procedures are implemented, as typically occurs in CAT patients being routinely submitted to thyroid ultrasound (US). The aim of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the long-term development of DTC in patients with CAT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Endocrinol Metab
August 2020
Introduction: Low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is currently rarely treated with radioiodine (131I) to ablate the postoperative remnant. Therefore, the interpretation of the serum thyroglobulin (Tg) values should be reconsidered. The aim of our study was to evaluate the changes in Tg values during follow-up with regard to the changing values in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Endocrinol Metab
July 2020
Context: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a thyroid disease of viral or postviral origin. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that began in Wuhan, China, has spread rapidly worldwide and Italy has been severely affected by this outbreak.
Objectives: The objective of this work is to report the first case of SAT related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab
May 2020
Context: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death protein-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) monoclonal antibodies, are approved for the treatment of some types of advanced cancer. Their main treatment-related side-effects are immune-related adverse events (irAEs), especially thyroid dysfunction and hypophysitis. Hypoparathyroidism, on the contrary, is an extremely rare irAE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: The role of serum immunoglobulin (Ig)Ms in autoimmune thyroid diseases is uncertain.
Objective: We looked for IgMs to thyroglobulin (Tg) in patients with subacute thyroiditis (SAT), which is characterized by high serum Tg levels, the possible de novo appearance of IgGs to Tg (TgAb-IgGs), and no autoimmune sequelae.
Main Outcome Measures: TgAb-IgMs and TgAb-IgGs were detected by binding to Tg using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
The diagnosis of the primary origin of metastases to the thyroid gland is not easy, in particular in case of concomitant lung adenocarcinoma which shares several immunophenotypical features. Although rare, these tumors should be completely characterized in order to set up specific therapies. This is the case of a 64-years-old woman referred to our institution for a very advanced neoplastic disease diagnosed both as poorly differentiated/anaplastic thyroid cancer (PDTC/ATC) for the huge involvement of the neck and concomitant lung adenocarcinoma (LA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep
October 2019
Summary: Programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4/B7 (CTLA-4/B7) pathways are key regulators in T-cell activation and tolerance. Nivolumab, pembrolizumab (PD-1 inhibitors), atezolizumab (PD-L1 inhibitor) and ipilimumab (CTLA-4 inhibitor) are monoclonal antibodies approved for treatment of several advanced cancers. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-related hypophysitis is described more frequently in patients treated with anti-CTLA-4; however, recent studies reported an increasing prevalence of anti-PD-1/PD-L1-induced hypophysitis which also exhibits slightly different clinical features.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: In the last few years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPis) have become a common treatment of cancer. ICPis are associated with peculiar immune side effects, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Thyroid disfunction is a common irAE, but clinical manifestation, severity, and pathogenesis can be variable.
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