Publications by authors named "Sequeira Duarte"

Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13, is widely used for the treatment of type 2 inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis. Although generally well-tolerated, dupilumab has been linked to rare thyroid-related events. We report a case of Graves' disease (GD) in a 47-year-old man with severe nasal polyposis who developed heat intolerance and weight loss within six to eight weeks of starting dupilumab.

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The diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency (AI) is challenging due to nonspecific symptoms. Measuring 8 AM serum cortisol levels is a common screening test, but its accuracy in predicting AI remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive diagnostic value of basal morning cortisol levels in suspected AI cases and compare them with levels in healthy individuals.

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Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a prevalent clinical condition characterized by an inappropriate secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH). It is most often caused by one or more parathyroid adenomas, which can, in rare cases, be ectopically located. Ectopic adenomas can pose a diagnostic challenge, lead to treatment delay, and be a common cause of recurrent hypercalcemia after parathyroidectomy.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A 20-year-old male with undiagnosed CD experienced critical health issues during a severe COVID-19 infection, requiring intensive care and showcasing classic signs of hypercortisolism, leading to further diagnostic testing.
  • * After surgical intervention for CD, the patient showed significant health improvements, including better body composition and mood, highlighting the importance of early recognition and timely treatment of hypercortisolism to prevent serious complications.
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Summary: Riedel's thyroiditis is the rarest form of thyroiditis, occasionally resulting in rapid thyroid enlargement and potential tracheal obstruction. Here, we detail the case of an 81-year-old woman with a medical history including Hodgkin lymphoma, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and multinodular goiter. She presented to the emergency room with stridor, cervical swelling, and breathing difficulties for over 2 days.

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Introduction: Graves' disease (GD) is associated with primary hyperthyroidism, leading to weight loss before treatment. During the treatment, weight gain is frequently observed, often surpassing the initial weight loss. This study aimed to analyze weight fluctuations in GD patients, focusing on the subset of overweight and obese (OAO) individuals, considering the significant metabolic implications and heightened cardiovascular risk of these weight changes.

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  • Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare type of thyroid cancer, making up less than 5% of thyroid tumors, with the follicular subtype being especially rare.
  • A case study details a 64-year-old woman with PTL who had a rapidly growing goitre and was successfully treated with chemotherapy, achieving remission two years later.
  • Diagnosis can be challenging due to similarities between lymphoma and thyroiditis in fine-needle aspiration results; a tissue biopsy is recommended if PTL is suspected but not confirmed.
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  • Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by antibodies affecting the thyroid, leading to hyperthyroidism; this study explores the role of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) in treatment outcomes after antithyroid drug therapy.
  • A cohort of 142 patients was analyzed, finding that while many showed TPOAbs positivity, there was no significant difference in remission rates or relapse rates between those with and without elevated TPOAbs levels.
  • The results suggest that lower initial thyroid hormone levels and TSH receptor antibodies (TRAbs) were associated with remission, but TPOAbs did not conclusively influence the long-term outcomes of Graves' disease treatment.
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Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare clinical entity that results from prolonged exposure to supraphysiological levels of glucocorticoids. It may result from adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent or nondependent stimuli. In very rare cases, ACTH production does not derive from the pituitary gland but is of an ectopic origin.

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Substernal goiter represents a common and challenging clinical scenario in medical practice. Symptoms often include dysphagia, dyspnea, and hoarseness, deeming the vascular compressive symptoms an unusual finding. In extraordinarily rare cases, its slow and gradual growth determines the emergence of severe superior vena cava syndrome, with consequent development of upper esophageal downhill varices.

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Parathyroid carcinoma is an extremely rare endocrine neoplasm that accounts for less than 1% of the cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Continuous exposure to high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) induces an increase in bone remodeling and patients may present with osteitis fibrosa cystica, which is characterized by subperiosteal resorption of the phalanges, diffuse osteopenia, salt and pepper appearance of the skull, bone cysts, and brown tumors. Brown tumors occur in less than 5% of all patients with any form of hyperparathyroidism.

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Background: Using data from electronic health registries, this study intended to estimate the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in the population aged 65 years and more, against symptomatic infection, COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and deaths, overall and by time since complete vaccination for the period February to September 2021.

Methods: We established a cohort of individuals aged 65 and more years old, resident in Portugal mainland, using the National Health Service User number to link eight electronic health registries. Outcomes included were symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, COVID-19-related hospitalizations or deaths.

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Summary: Immunotherapy has become an important pillar for the management of advanced cancer. Immune-related adverse events including endocrinopathies have been well described with programmed cell death 1 inhibitors such as pembrolizumab. While thyroid dysfunction is the most common endocrinopathy associated with pembrolizumab, new-onset autoimmune diabetes mellitus (DM) is extremely rare.

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Introduction: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is essential in managing cardiovascular disease risk. Since 1972, the Friedewald formula has been used to estimate LDL concentration, although with some limitations. In 2013, Martin et al.

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Through deterministic data linkage of health registries, mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19-related hospitalisations and deaths was measured in 1,880,351 older adults. VE against hospitalisations was 94% (95% confidence interval (CI): 88-97) and 82% (95% CI: 72-89) for those 65-79 and ≥ 80 years old, with no evidence of waning 98 days after dose two. VE against mortality was 96% (95% CI: 92-98) and 81% (95% CI: 74-87) in these two age groups.

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Introduction: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is essential in managing cardiovascular disease risk. Since 1972, the Friedewald formula has been used to estimate LDL concentration, although with some limitations. In 2013, Martin et al.

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A 71-year-old woman was referred to the endocrinology clinic to investigate postmenopausal hirsutism with 10 years of evolution. She had history of regular menses and menopause with 50 years old. Physical examination showed a male pattern facies, deepening of the voice, androgenic alopecia and hirsutism with a score of 23 according to the modified Ferriman-Gallwey scale.

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Introduction: Several studies have demonstrated the benefits of having a regular care provider on the control of chronic diseases. Our study intends to clarify the effects of the transition to a new diabetologist on metabolic control in type 2 diabetes patients followed-upin a tertiary care setting.

Material And Methods: Retrospective study performed in an endocrinology outpatient clinic.

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Introduction And Aims: Atherogenic dyslipidemia is an important contributor to residual cardiovascular (CV) risk, but it is underdiagnosed and undertreated. This study aimed to assess the opinion of Portuguese experts to generate a consensus concerning the diagnosis and treatment of atherogenic dyslipidemia, as well as to contribute toward standardization of clinical practice in this disorder.

Methods: The study consisted in the application of a questionnaire to an expert panel, following a modified Delphi methodology.

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Objective: A minority of lesions found in the sellar region are non-adenomatous neoplastic, inflammatory, or cystic masses. Our study aims to describe the prevalence and characteristics of these lesions in a multidisciplinary pituitary outpatient clinic.

Design: We conducted an observational study which included 36 patients (15.

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Even with the improvement in lifestyle interventions, a better control of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, and improvements in CV outcomes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) still persists as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Portugal and Europe. Atherogenic dyslipidaemias, namely hypercholesterolaemia, have a crucial and causal role in the development of atherosclerotic CVD. The clinical approach of a patient with dyslipidaemia involves a watchful diagnosis, sustained in lipid and lipoprotein laboratory procedures, which must be harmonized and standardized.

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Even with improvements in lifestyle interventions, better control of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, and improvements in CV outcomes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Portugal and Europe. Atherogenic dyslipidemias, particularly hypercholesterolemia, have a crucial causal role in the development of atherosclerotic CVD. The clinical approach to a patient with dyslipidemia requires an accurate diagnosis, based on harmonized and standardized lipid and lipoprotein laboratory assessments.

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Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a common disease, affecting up to 13.1% of the Portuguese population. In addition to the known micro and macrovascular complications, drug side effects constitute a major concern, leading to changes in the treatment guidelines, which favor safety over efficacy.

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Unlabelled: Central diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare clinical entity characterized by low circulating levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) presenting with polyuria and volume depletion. Pituitary surgery is the most common cause of central DI in adults. Pituitary and hypothalamic disease, particularly invasive neoplasms, rarely cause DI, being idiopathic cases responsible for the majority of non-surgical cases.

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