The Second Antithyroid Drug Treatment Is Effective in Relapsed Graves' Disease Patients: A Median 11-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Antithyroid drug (ATD) is a widely used treatment for Graves' disease (GD). However, its long-term efficiency remains unclear. This study investigated the long-term disease prognosis and predictive factors for relapse in ATD-treated GD patients.

A Case of Transverse Myelitis Caused by Varicella Zoster Virus in an Immunocompetent Older Patient.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a human neurotropic alphaherpesvirus that causes chickenpox (varicella) in children. VZV reactivation may lead to neurological complications, including transverse myelitis. However, transverse myelitis caused by VZV reactivation is rare in immunocompetent patients.

Changes in antibiotic resistance in recurrent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections of chronic suppurative otitis media.

This study investigated the changes in antibiotic resistance in recurrent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Its aim was to provide a treatment strategy for P aeruginosa infections in CSOM for the prevention of multidrug resistance. A case-control study was conducted in tertiary teaching hospitals in Korea.

Rg3 Improves Mitochondrial Function and the Expression of Key Genes Involved in Mitochondrial Biogenesis in C2C12 Myotubes.

Background: Panax ginseng has glucose-lowering effects, some of which are associated with the improvement in insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Because mitochondria play a pivotal role in the insulin resistance of skeletal muscle, we investigated the effects of the ginsenoside Rg3, one of the active components of P. ginseng, on mitochondrial function and biogenesis in C2C12 myotubes.

The Effect of TSH Suppression on Vertebral Trabecular Bone Scores in Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Context: The effect of thyrotropin (TSH) suppressive therapy on trabecular bone scores (TBSs) is unclear.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TSH suppression on vertebral TBSs of postmenopausal women with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).

Design, Setting, And Participants: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 273 postmenopausal women with DTC who had received TSH suppressive therapy.

Long-Term Recurrence of Small Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Its Risk Factors in a Korean Multicenter Study.

Context: Small papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) generally has an excellent prognosis. However, long-term recurrence is not uncommon and sometimes leads to morbidity or mortality.

Objective: To identify high-risk factors for long-term recurrence in patients with small PTC by stratifying their pathologic characteristics.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptional and Mutational Landscape of Follicular and Papillary Thyroid Cancers.

Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and benign follicular adenoma (FA) are indistinguishable by preoperative diagnosis due to their similar histological features. Here we report the first RNA sequencing study of these tumors, with data for 30 minimally invasive FTCs (miFTCs) and 25 FAs. We also compared 77 classical papillary thyroid carcinomas (cPTCs) and 48 follicular variant of PTCs (FVPTCs) to observe the differences in their molecular properties.

Macrophage Densities Correlated with CXC Chemokine Receptor 4 Expression and Related with Poor Survival in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.

Background: Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) have emerged as potential biomarkers in various human cancers. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical characteristics of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) patients according to the TAM numbers in the tumor tissue, and to evaluate the associations between CXCR4 expressions and macrophage densities in ATC tumor microenvironment.

Methods: Total 14 ATC samples from thyroid tissue microarray were used.

Medicare Part D's Effects on Drug Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Costs: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To update a past systematic review on whether Medicare Part D changed drug utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs overall and within subpopulations, and to identify evidence gaps.

Data Sources/study Setting: Published and gray literature from 2010 to 2015 meeting prespecified screening criteria, including having a comparison group, and utilization or OOP cost outcomes.

Study Design: We conducted a systematic literature review with a quality assessment.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone improves insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle cells via cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway-dependent upregulation of insulin receptor substrate-1 expression.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor is expressed in extrathyroidal tissues such as hepatocytes, adipocytes, and skeletal muscle, which suggests a possible novel role of TSH in various metabolic processes in extrathyroidal tissues independent of thyroid hormones. We investigated whether TSH has any effects on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in the skeletal muscle using diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse models and rodent skeletal muscle cells. TSH improved glucose tolerance in DIO mice and this was associated with an improvement of skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity resulting from the increased expression of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 protein and mRNA therein.

Recurrence and Survival After Gross Total Removal of Resectable Undifferentiated or Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the recurrence and survival after initial curative-intent surgery of resectable anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) and poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with ATC and PDTC who had been treated between 1985 and 2013. Among them, 119 patients who had undergone surgery with curative intent were included in this study.

Health-Related Quality of Life During the Menopausal Transition: Testing a Theoretical Model.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothetical model of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during the menopausal transition. The model was developed to test specific components of the Wilson and Cleary's model for HRQOL. A cross-sectional, correlational study was carried out using self-report questionnaires on a convenience sample of 162 Korean women in the menopausal transition.

Effect of Abdominal Massage before In Vitro Fertilization Injection on Alleviating Pain among Infertile Women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of abdominal massage on alleviating pain caused by the injection of recombinant gonadotropin for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) among infertile women.

Methods: This study employed a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. A total sample of 149 infertile women who never experienced in vitro fertilization was recruited at C fertility center.

F-box only protein 9 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of PPARγ.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a critical regulator of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, adipocyte differentiation and inflammatory response. Post-translational modification of PPARγ and its degradation involve several pathways, including the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here, we identified F-box only protein 9 (FBXO9) as an E3 ubiquitin ligase of PPARγ.

Hyperglycemia Is Associated with Impaired Muscle Quality in Older Men with Diabetes: The Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging.

Background: The study aimed to investigate the influence of hyperglycemia on muscle quality in older men with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This was a subsidiary study of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Health and Aging. Among 326 older men consenting to tests of body composition and muscle strength, 269 men were ultimately analyzed after the exclusion because of stroke (n=30) and uncertainty about the diagnosis of diabetes (n=27).

A Case of Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia after Myxoma Excision and Mitral Valve Repair Presenting as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.

Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia occurs in a diverse group of disorders, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and prosthetic cardiac valves. Hemolytic anemia also occurs as a rare complication after mitral valve repair. In this report, we describe a case of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia following myxoma excision and mitral valve repair, which was presented as hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Graves' Patient with Thymic Expression of Thyrotropin Receptors and Dynamic Changes in Thymic Hyperplasia Proportional to Graves' Disease Activity.

Thymic hyperplasia is frequently observed in Graves' disease. However, detectable massive enlargement of the thymus is rare, and the mechanism of its formation has remained elusive. This case showed dynamic changes in thymic hyperplasia on serial computed tomography images consistent with changes in serum thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R) antibodies and thyroid hormone levels.

Acute High-Dose and Chronic Lifetime Exposure to Alcohol Consumption and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: T-CALOS Korea.

Background: This study evaluated the effects of acute high-dose and chronic lifetime exposure to alcohol and exposure patterns on the development of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Methods: The Thyroid Cancer Longitudinal Study (T-CALOS) included 2,258 DTC patients (449 men and 1,809 women) and 22,580 healthy participants (4,490 men and 18,090 women) who were individually matched by age, gender, and enrollment year. In-person interviews were conducted with a structured questionnaire to obtain epidemiologic data.

Prognostic effects of TERT promoter mutations are enhanced by coexistence with BRAF or RAS mutations and strengthen the risk prediction by the ATA or TNM staging system in differentiated thyroid cancer patients.

Background: Recent reports suggest that mutations in the promoter of the gene encoding telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) affect thyroid cancer outcomes.

Methods: In all, 551 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) enrolled in this study. The median follow-up duration was 4.

Annual Average Changes in Adult Obesity as a Risk Factor for Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Large-Scale Case-Control Study.

We evaluated the association between weight change in middle-aged adults and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) based on a large-scale case-control study. Our study included data from 1551 PTC patients (19.3% men and 80.

Recombinant human thyrotropin-stimulated thyroglobulin level at the time of radioactive iodine ablation is an independent prognostic marker of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in the setting of prophylactic central neck dissection.

Objective: We investigated the value of the stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) level at the time of recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH)-aided remnant ablation for predicting disease status 1 year later in patients with DTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection (CND).

Design, Setting, And Participant: This was a prospective observational study of 253 consecutive patients with DTC who underwent rhTSH-aided RAI ablation after total thyroidectomy and prophylactic CND. Patients with evidence of initial distant metastasis or positive Tg antibodies were excluded.