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Cureus May 2024Alstrom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease. It affects multiple systems, including cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and eyes. Our patient is a 25-year-old...
Alstrom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease. It affects multiple systems, including cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and eyes. Our patient is a 25-year-old female who presented with elevated creatinine. Her past medical history was significant for hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome, blindness, cataracts, hearing loss, and heart problems. She had genetic testing done that revealed that she was homozygous for the ALMS1 gene and was diagnosed with Alstrom syndrome. She was followed by nephrology in the clinic and had chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage V. The patient traveled to Italy and was lost to follow-up.
PubMed: 38883129
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60334 -
Cureus May 2024Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder in live-born infants, often associated with intellectual disability and various medical conditions, including...
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder in live-born infants, often associated with intellectual disability and various medical conditions, including thyroid dysfunction. Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), an autoimmune subtype, is a leading cause of acquired hypothyroidism in DS children. Severe hypothyroidism can precipitate myxedema, a critical condition linked to complications like pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. This case study presents a nine-year-old male with DS who was admitted for acute respiratory distress exhibiting classic signs of myxedema. Initial investigations revealed severe hypothyroidism and significant pericardial effusion. Surgical pericardiotomy drained 800 mL of fluid, confirming myxedema secondary to HT. Levothyroxine therapy led to progressive improvement, resolving myxedematous infiltrate and associated symptoms within a month. Follow-up at 12 months demonstrated sustained improvement with normalized thyroid function and no clinical disease activity. This case highlights an atypical presentation of HT in a DS child with cardiac pre-tamponade.
PubMed: 38883046
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60367 -
Cureus May 2024Background Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with an autoimmune etiology. Psoriasis has been presumed to be associated with several autoimmune...
Background Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with an autoimmune etiology. Psoriasis has been presumed to be associated with several autoimmune diseases. We sought to determine the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in patients with psoriasis in a large referral tertiary care center. Methods This is a retrospective and cross-sectional chart review of patients with confirmed psoriasis diagnoses in the dermatology clinic of King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The electronic charts of patients were individually reviewed for autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, alopecia areata, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and celiac diseases. Results A total of 839 cases were included, 56.4% of whom were females. Most patients were between 31 and 50 years old (37.1%). The most common autoimmune disease was hypothyroidism (6.8%), seen more in females. The second most common autoimmune disease was alopecia areata (3.6%), followed by atopic dermatitis (2.9%). Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel diseases were uncommon in our cohort. Conclusion In this single-center retrospective cohort of patients with psoriasis, hypothyroidism and alopecia areata were the most commonly encountered autoimmune diseases. Larger, multi-center studies are needed to evaluate the prevalence of autoimmune diseases among patients with psoriasis.
PubMed: 38883030
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60455 -
Cureus May 2024The utility of ChatGPT has recently caused consternation in the medical world. While it has been utilized to write manuscripts, only a few studies have evaluated the...
INTRODUCTION
The utility of ChatGPT has recently caused consternation in the medical world. While it has been utilized to write manuscripts, only a few studies have evaluated the quality of manuscripts generated by AI (artificial intelligence).
OBJECTIVE
We evaluate the ability of ChatGPT to write a case report when provided with a framework. We also provide practical considerations for manuscript writing using AI.
METHODS
We compared a manuscript written by a blinded human author (10 years of medical experience) with a manuscript written by ChatGPT on a rare presentation of a common disease. We used multiple iterations of the manuscript generation request to derive the best ChatGPT output. Participants, outcomes, and measures: 22 human reviewers compared the manuscripts using parameters that characterize human writing and relevant standard manuscript assessment criteria, viz., scholarly impact quotient (SIQ). We also compared the manuscripts using the "average perplexity score" (APS), "burstiness score" (BS), and "highest perplexity of a sentence" (GPTZero parameters to detect AI-generated content).
RESULTS
The human manuscript had a significantly higher quality of presentation and nuanced writing (p<0.05). Both manuscripts had a logical flow. 12/22 reviewers were able to identify the AI-generated manuscript (p<0.05), but 4/22 reviewers wrongly identified the human-written manuscript as AI-generated. GPTZero software erroneously identified four sentences of the human-written manuscript to be AI-generated.
CONCLUSION
Though AI showed an ability to highlight the novelty of the case report and project a logical flow comparable to the human manuscript, it could not outperform the human writer on all parameters. The human manuscript showed a better quality of presentation and more nuanced writing. The practical considerations we provide for AI-assisted medical writing will help to better utilize AI in manuscript writing.
PubMed: 38883028
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60461 -
Cureus Jun 2024Thyroid dysfunction is a well-known cause of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), but most reports have focused on CVST associated with hyperthyroidism, with only a...
Thyroid dysfunction is a well-known cause of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), but most reports have focused on CVST associated with hyperthyroidism, with only a few mentioning CVST associated with hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism, characterized by thyroid hormone levels within reference values but elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone, can also cause CVST. Here, we present a case of CVST associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. A 48-year-old man with headache, nausea, and left-sided motor weakness was admitted to our hospital, with a history of economy-class syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus, right transverse sinus, and right sigmoid sinus. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) confirmed CVST from the right common carotid artery, revealing abnormal staining of the thyroid gland. The patient was serologically in a state of subclinical hypothyroidism. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed with CVST associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. Anticoagulation therapy was initiated shortly after admission. CVST gradually resolved, and the affected sinuses were recanalized. Paraplegia improved, and the patient was discharged home 19 days after admission with a modified Rankin scale of 1. Subclinical hypothyroidism can induce CVST, underscoring the importance of screening for thyroid function in CVST patients, even without apparent thyroid dysfunction symptoms. DSA findings are valuable for diagnosing thyroid disease.
PubMed: 38882222
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.62333 -
Thyroid Research Jun 2024Primary hypothyroidism (PHT) is associated with an increased risk for the development of atherosclerosis (AS) and other cardiovascular disorders. PHT induces... (Review)
Review
Primary hypothyroidism (PHT) is associated with an increased risk for the development of atherosclerosis (AS) and other cardiovascular disorders. PHT induces atherosclerosis (AS) through the induction of endothelial dysfunction, and insulin resistance (IR). PHT promotes vasoconstriction and the development of hypertension. However, patients with subclinical PHT with normal thyroid hormones (THs) are also at risk for cardiovascular complications. In subclinical PHT, increasing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels could be one of the causative factors intricate in the progression of cardiovascular complications including AS. Nevertheless, the mechanistic role of PHT in AS has not been fully clarified in relation to increased TSH. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the association between increased TSH and AS, and how increased TSH may be involved in the pathogenesis of AS. In addition, we also discuss how L-thyroxine treatment affects the development of AS.
PubMed: 38880884
DOI: 10.1186/s13044-024-00199-3 -
Journal of Ovarian Research Jun 2024Thyroid hormones(THs) are essential for the proper functioning of the ovaries, and multiple studies have shown that thyroid abnormalities, especially during adolescence... (Review)
Review
Thyroid hormones(THs) are essential for the proper functioning of the ovaries, and multiple studies have shown that thyroid abnormalities, especially during adolescence and reproductive age, can lead to lifelong ovarian dysfunction. Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), one of the most common organ specific autoimmune diseases, is mainly mediated by cellular autoimmune reactions, and has strong inflammatory infiltration and immune active cells, including chemokines and cytokines, which are important components of ovarian aging. This suggests that autoimmune and inflammatory molecular processes may play a role in the emergence of ovarian dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent in vivo and in vitro evidence of a complex relationship between AITD and ovarian dysfunction. AITD is closely related to the decline of ovarian function from the perspective of antibody, cytokine, oxidative stress, and genetic factors. Finally, some of the currently known treatments for AITD and hypo ovarian disease are summarized.
Topics: Humans; Female; Autoimmune Diseases; Ovarian Diseases; Thyroid Diseases; Ovary; Animals
PubMed: 38877588
DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01451-y -
European Journal of Medical Research Jun 2024Some previous observational studies have linked deep venous thrombosis (DVT) to thyroid diseases; however, the findings were contradictory. This study aimed to...
BACKGROUND
Some previous observational studies have linked deep venous thrombosis (DVT) to thyroid diseases; however, the findings were contradictory. This study aimed to investigate whether some common thyroid diseases can cause DVT using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.
METHODS
This two-sample MR study used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified by the FinnGen genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to be highly associated with some common thyroid diseases, including autoimmune hyperthyroidism (962 cases and 172,976 controls), subacute thyroiditis (418 cases and 187,684 controls), hypothyroidism (26,342 cases and 59,827 controls), and malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland (989 cases and 217,803 controls. These SNPs were used as instruments. Outcome datasets for the GWAS on DVT (6,767 cases and 330,392 controls) were selected from the UK Biobank data, which was obtained from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) open GWAS project. The inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger and weighted median methods were used to estimate the causal association between DVT and thyroid diseases. The Cochran's Q test was used to quantify the heterogeneity of the instrumental variables (IVs). MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier test (MR-PRESSO) was used to detect horizontal pleiotropy. When the causal relationship was significant, bidirectional MR analysis was performed to determine any reverse causal relationships between exposures and outcomes.
RESULTS
This MR study illustrated that autoimmune hyperthyroidism slightly increased the risk of DVT according to the IVW [odds ratio (OR) = 1.0009; p = 0.024] and weighted median methods [OR = 1.001; p = 0.028]. According to Cochran's Q test, there was no evidence of heterogeneity in IVs. Additionally, MR-PRESSO did not detect horizontal pleiotropy (p = 0.972). However, no association was observed between other thyroid diseases and DVT using the IVW, weighted median, and MR-Egger regression methods.
CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that autoimmune hyperthyroidism may cause DVT; however, more evidence and larger sample sizes are required to draw more precise conclusions.
Topics: Humans; Venous Thrombosis; Mendelian Randomization Analysis; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Genome-Wide Association Study; Thyroid Diseases; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Hyperthyroidism
PubMed: 38877527
DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01933-1 -
BMC Endocrine Disorders Jun 2024Persistent symptoms in hypothyroid patients despite normalized TSH levels suggest the need for alternative treatments. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Persistent symptoms in hypothyroid patients despite normalized TSH levels suggest the need for alternative treatments. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combined T4 and T3 therapy or desiccated thyroid (DTE) compared to T4 monotherapy, with a focus on thyroid profile, lipid profile, and quality of life metrics.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review in Embase, Medline/PubMed, and Web of Science up to 11/23/2023. We used the following keywords: "Armour Thyroid," OR "Thyroid extract," OR "Natural desiccated thyroid," OR "Nature-Throid," "desiccated thyroid," OR "np thyroid," OR "Synthroid," OR "levothyroxine," OR "Liothyronine," "Cytomel," OR "Thyroid USP," OR "Unithroid." AND "hypothyroidism. " We only included RCTs and excluded non-RCT, case-control studies, and non-English articles.
RESULTS
From 6,394 identified records, 16 studies qualified after screening and eligibility checks. We included two studies on desiccated thyroid and 15 studies on combined therapy. In this meta-analysis, combination therapy with T4 + T3 revealed significantly lower Free T4 levels (mean difference (MD): -0.34; 95% CI: -0.47, -0.20), Total T4 levels (mean difference: -2.20; 95% CI: -3.03, -1.37), and GHQ-28 scores (MD: -2.89; 95% CI: -3.16, -2.63), compared to T4 monotherapy. Total T3 levels were significantly higher in combined therapy (MD: 29.82; 95% CI: 22.40, 37.25). The analyses demonstrated moderate to high heterogeneity. There was no significant difference in Heart Rate, SHBG, TSH, Lipid profile, TSQ-36, and BDI Score. Subjects on DTE had significantly higher serum Total T3 levels (MD: 50.90; 95% CI: 42.39, 59.42) and significantly lower serum Total T4 (MD: -3.11; 95% CI: -3.64, -2.58) and Free T4 levels (MD: -0.50; 95% CI: -0.57, -0.43) compared to T4 monotherapy. Moreover, DTE treatment showed modestly higher TSH levels (MD: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.80). The analyses indicated low heterogeneity. There was no significant difference in Heart Rate, SHBG, Lipid profile, TSQ-36, GHQ-28, and BDI Score.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study revealed that combined therapy and DTE lead to higher T3 and lower T4 levels, compared to T4 monotherapy in hypothyroidism. However, no significant effects on heart rate, lipid profile, or quality of life were noted. Given the heterogeneity of results, personalized treatment approaches are recommended.
Topics: Humans; Hypothyroidism; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine; Drug Therapy, Combination; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome; Hormone Replacement Therapy; Thyroid Gland
PubMed: 38877429
DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01612-6 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024Previous observational epidemiological studies have suggested a potential association between thyroid function and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the...
BACKGROUND
Previous observational epidemiological studies have suggested a potential association between thyroid function and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the findings remain inconclusive, and whether this association is causal remains uncertain. The objective of this study is to investigate the causal association between thyroid function and IBD.
METHODS
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving seven indicators of thyroid function, IBD, and 41 cytokines were analyzed. Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariable MR were conducted to examine the causal relationship between thyroid function and IBD and to explore the potential mechanisms underlying the associations.
RESULTS
Genetically determined hypothyroidism significantly reduced the risk of CD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.761, 95% CI: 0.655-0.882, < 0.001). Genetically determined reference-range TSH was found to have a suggestive causal effect on IBD (OR = 0.931, 95% CI: 0.888-0.976, = 0.003), (Crohn disease) CD (OR = 0.915, 95% CI: 0.857-0.977, = 0.008), and ulcerative colitis (UC) (OR =0.910, 95% CI: 0.830-0.997, = 0.043). In reverse MR analysis, both IBD and CD appeared to have a suggestive causal effect on the fT3/fT4 ratio (OR = 1.002, = 0.013 and OR = 1.001, = 0.015, respectively). Among 41 cytokines, hypothyroidism had a significant impact on interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) (OR = 1.465, 95% CI: 1.094-1.962, = 0.010). The results of multivariable MR showed that IP-10 may mediate the causal effects of hypothyroidism with CD.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that an elevated TSH level reduces the risk of CD, with IP-10 potentially mediating this association. This highlights the pituitary-thyroid axis could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for CD.
Topics: Humans; Genome-Wide Association Study; Cytokines; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Thyroid Gland; Hypothyroidism; Mendelian Randomization Analysis; Thyroid Function Tests; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Thyrotropin; Male
PubMed: 38872961
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1376139