Search Results

Objectives

To compare the cortisol response of the 1 μg and the 250 μg ACTH test in a large study of patients with suspected adrenal insufficiency.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Single center study assessing patients tested for primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency between January 2004 and December 2007, who had both ACTH tests (1 μg and 250 μg; n=207) within a time interval of 6 weeks. Test results were compared with a Bland–Altman plot and McNemar's test.

Results

The mean difference between the cortisol responses in the two ACTH tests was 26 nmol/l (95% confidence interval (CI) 13, 40), showing a marginally higher response for the 250 μg test. The diagnostic performances of the two tests were similar (P=0.49) using a cut-off value for cortisol of 550 nmol/l. A normal cortisol response to the 1 μg ACTH test could be accompanied by an abnormal response to the 250 μg ACTH test, and vice versa.

Conclusion

This study shows that the 1 μg and the 250 μg ACTH tests have comparable cortisol responses in patients with suspected adrenal insufficiency. However, in individual patients, the difference in cortisol response to the two tests can be substantial, and the response in the 250 μg test is not invariably higher than the response in a 1 μg test.

Objective

Conventional therapies for Graves' disease, consisting of medical therapy or radioiodine are unsatisfactory, because of limited efficacy and adverse events. Interventions aimed at the underlying autoimmune pathogenesis of Graves' disease may be worthwhile to explore. We therefore performed a prospective, 26-week phase II study with open-ended observational extension to assess the efficacy of rituximab in patients with recurrent Graves' disease.

Design

We performed a prospective, 26-week phase II study with open-ended observations.

Methods

Thirteen patients with relapsing Graves' disease (9 females and 4 males, age 39.5±9.5 years) received 2 dosages of rituximab 1000 mg i.v. with a 2-week interval. Before administration and on several periods after the administration of TSH, free thyroxine (FT₄), thyrotropin binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII) and the proportion of CD19 and MS4A1 positive peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured.

Results

The proportion of MS4A1 positive lymphocytes decreased in all patients from 5.8% at baseline to 1.4% at 26 weeks (P=0.007). Four patients with high initial FT₄ levels did not respond to treatment. All remaining patients had a decrease in FT₄ levels at 26 weeks (P=0.001) and an increase in TSH levels (P=0.011). TBII decreased in all remaining patients (P=0.003). At a follow-up time of 14–27 months, nine of these patients were still euthyroid with normal FT₄ (P<0.001) and TSH levels (P=0.008).

Conclusions

The present study results suggest a beneficial role of rituximab in mild relapsing Graves' disease. A subsequent randomized controlled trial with rituximab is recommended.

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence and rheumatological and radiological characteristics of arthropathy in patients after long-term cure of acromegaly in comparison with age-matched controls.

Design

Case–control study.

Patients

We compared 89 patients with adequate biochemical control of acromegaly (mean 14 years) and 67 age-matched controls.

Measurements

Study parameters were the results of symptom questionnaires, structured physical examination and radiographs of the spine, hip, knee and hand. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis was based on a) radiological osteoarthritis determined by Kellgren and Lawrence and b) clinical osteoarthritis determined by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. For the radiological comparison with controls, a Dutch reference group was used.

Results

Pain/stiffness at ≥1 joint site was reported by 72% of patients, most frequently in the spine and hands. Radiological osteoarthritis at ≥1 joint site was present in 99% of patients, most frequently in the spine and hip, and increased at all joint sites in comparison with controls (odds ratios: 2–20). Despite long-term cure of acromegaly, the characteristic widening of joint spaces was still present. In addition, severe osteophytosis was present. Representative radiographs of these typical features are included in the manuscript. According to the ACR criteria, clinical osteoarthritis at ≥1 joint site was present in 63% of patients, most frequently in the spine and hand. Patients had a higher prevalence of osteoarthritis than controls at all joint sites according to all scoring methods and at a younger age.

Conclusions

Prior GH excess has irreversible, deleterious late effects on the clinical and radiological aspects of joints in patients with long-term cure of acromegaly.

Background

Despite the long experience with radioiodine for hyperthyroidism, controversy remains regarding the optimal method to determine the activity that is required to achieve long-term euthyroidism.

Objectives

To compare the effect of estimated versus calculated activity of radioiodine in hyperthyroidism.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched the databases Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for randomized and nonrandomized studies, comparing the effect of activity estimation methods with dosimetry for hyperthyroidism. The main outcome measure was the frequency of treatment success, defined as persistent euthyroidism after radioiodine treatment at the end of follow-up in the dose estimated and calculated dosimetry group. Furthermore, we assessed the cure rates of hyperthyroidism.

Results

Three randomized and five nonrandomized studies, comparing the effect of estimated versus calculated activity of radioiodine on clinical outcomes for the treatment of hyperthyroidism, were included. The weighted mean relative frequency of successful treatment outcome (euthyroidism) was 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91–1.16) for estimated versus calculated activity; the weighted mean relative frequency of cure of hyperthyroidism (eu- or hypothyroidism) was 1.03 (95% CI 0.96–1.10). Subgroup analysis showed a relative frequency of euthyroidism of 1.03 (95% CI 0.84–1.26) for Graves' disease and of 1.05 (95% CI 0.91–1.19) for toxic multinodular goiter.

Conclusion

The two main methods used to determine the activity in the treatment of hyperthyroidism with radioiodine, estimated and calculated, resulted in an equally successful treatment outcome. However, the heterogeneity of the included studies is a strong limitation that prevents a definitive conclusion from this meta-analysis.

Objective

In patients with active Cushing's syndrome (CS), cardiac structural and functional changes have been described in a limited number of patients. It is unknown whether these changes reverse after successful treatment. We therefore evaluated the changes in cardiac structure and dysfunction after successful treatment of CS, using more sensitive echocardiographic parameters (based on two-dimensional strain imaging) to detect subtle changes in cardiac structure and function.

Methods

In a prospective study design, we studied 15 consecutive CS patients and 30 controls (matched for age, sex, body surface area, hypertension, and left ventricular (LV) systolic function). Multidirectional LV strain was evaluated by two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging. Systolic (radial thickening, and circumferential and longitudinal shortening) and diastolic (longitudinal strain rate at the isovolumetric relaxation time (SR_IVRT)) parameters were measured.

Results

At baseline, CS patients had similar LV diameters but had significantly more LV hypertrophy and impaired LV diastolic function, compared to controls. In addition, CS patients showed impaired LV shortening in the circumferential (−16.5±3.5 vs −19.7±3.4%, P=0.013) and longitudinal (−15.9±1.9 vs −20.1±2.3%, P<0.001) directions and decreased SR_IVRT (0.3±0.15 vs 0.4±0.2/ s, P=0.012) compared to controls. After normalization of corticosteroid excess, LV structural abnormalities reversed, LV circumferential and longitudinal shortening occurred, and SR_IVRT normalized.

Conclusion

CS induces not only LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction but also subclinical LV systolic dysfunction, which reverses upon normalization of corticosteroid excess.

Objective

Arthropathy is an invalidating complication of acromegaly, of which the prognosis and determinants are currently unknown in treated acromegaly. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the radiographic progression of arthropathy over a mean follow-up period of 2.6 years and determinants of outcome in patients with long-term, well-controlled acromegaly.

Design

Prospective follow-up study.

Methods

In a prospective cohort study we studied 58 patients (mean age 62, women 41%) with controlled acromegaly for a mean of 17.6 years. Radiographic progression of joint disease was defined by the Osteoarthritis Research Society International classification as a 1-point increase in joint space narrowing (JSN) or osteophyte scores on radiographs of the hands, knees, and hips obtained at the first study visit and after 2.6 years. Potential risk factors for progression were assessed.

Results

Progression of osteophytes and JSN was observed in 72 and 74% of patients respectively. Higher age predisposed for osteophyte progression. Patients with biochemical control by somatostatin (SMS) analogs had more progression of osteophytosis than surgically cured patients (odds ratio=18.9, P=0.025), independent of age, sex, BMI, baseline IGF1 SDS and exon 3 deletion of the GHR. This was also evident for JSN progression, as were higher age and higher baseline IGF1 SDS.

Conclusions

Acromegalic patients have progressive JSN and osteophytosis, despite long-term biochemical control. Parameters reflecting GH/IGF1 activity were associated with progressive joint disease. Remarkably, biochemical control by SMS analogs was associated with more progression than surgical cure. Although the present study is not a randomized controlled trial, this may indicate insufficient GH control according to current criteria and the need for more aggressive therapy.

Context

Germline mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) genes predispose carriers for developing paragangliomas, and studies on their quality of life (QoL) are scarce.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to assess QoL in patients with paragangliomas (PGL), to evaluate long-term QoL, and to explore potential differences in QoL between SDH mutation carriers and paraganglioma patients without an SDH mutation.

Design

Cross-sectional, case–control study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects

One hundred and seventy four paraganglioma patients were included: 25 SDHB, two SDHC, and 122 SDHD mutation carriers and 25 patients without an SDH mutation. They provided 100 peers as control persons. Furthermore, patients were compared with age-adjusted reference populations.

Main outcome measures

QoL was assessed using three validated health-related QoL questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Multidimensional Fatigue Index 20, and the Short Form 36.

Results

Patients reported a significantly impaired QoL compared with their own controls, mainly on fatigue and physical condition subscales. Compared with age-adjusted literature values, patients had significantly impaired scores on physical, psychological, and social subscales. A decreased QoL was mainly related to paraganglioma-associated complaints.

There was no difference in QoL between the various SDH mutation carriers or paraganglioma patients without an SDH mutation. QoL in asymptomatic mutation carriers, i.e. without manifest disease, did not differ from QoL of the general population. Long-term results in 41 patients showed no alteration in QoL besides a reduced level of activity.

Conclusion

QoL is decreased in paraganglioma patients but stable when measured over time.