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Use of parathormone as a predictor of hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy.
Torre, AY, Gómez, NL, Abuawad, C, Figari, MF
Cirugia y cirujanos. 2020;(1):56-63
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-operative hypoparathyroidism is the most frequent complication after total thyroidectomy. It represents one of the main causes of prolonged hospital-stay and is associated with a significant increase in health costs. The identification of patients with higher risk of suffering this complication allows early treatment, reduces clinical complications and adequate the use of health resources. Throughout history, several predictors have been used to stratify patients at risk. In recent years the use of parathormone parathyroid hormone (PTH) has taken particular interest. OBJECTIVE To review the existing literature on the use of PTH as a predictor of hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. METHOD A medline search was performed. We reviewed the existing evidence on efficacy of PTH as a predictor of post-operative hypocalcemia, economic impact, optimal time for sampling and implementation mode. CONCLUSION The use of PTH predicts with adequate sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value the risk for the patients to suffer post-operative hypocalcemia. Cut-off values and sampling number and time vary among authors; as a result, more data is needed to reach a conclusion about the standardization of use after a total thyroidectomy procedure. It use could be beneficial not only for patients but also for care providers as health cost might be diminished.
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Current controversies in the management of Graves' hyperthyroidism.
Francis, N, Francis, T, Lazarus, JH, Okosieme, OE
Expert review of endocrinology & metabolism. 2020;(3):159-169
Abstract
Introduction: The management of Graves' disease centers on the use of effective and well-established therapies, namely thionamide antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, and thyroidectomy. Optimal treatment strategies are however controversial and vary significantly across centers.Areas covered: This review addresses specific controversies in Graves' disease management including the choice of primary therapy, the approach to women planning pregnancy, and optimal strategies for antithyroid drug and radioiodine therapy.Expert opinion: Important considerations in choosing therapy include treatment efficacy, adverse effects, patient convenience, and resource settings. Recent data suggest that early and effective control of hyperthyroidism is key to improving cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Studies addressing cancer risk in radioiodine-treated patients face methodological challenges and require clarification in appropriately designed studies. Remission rates with antithyroid drugs are comparable when thionamides are used alone (titration-regimen) or in combination with levothyroxine (block and replace) and can be optimized by extending treatment for at least 12-18 months. Fixed and calculated radioiodine activity regimens are both effective but entail a trade-off between convenience and precision in the administered activity. Optimal preconception strategies are still evolving but ablative treatment in advance of pregnancy offers the most pragmatic means of reducing adverse effects of hyperthyroidism in subsequent pregnancy.
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The Afirma Xpression Atlas for thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer metastases: Insights to inform clinical decision-making from a fine-needle aspiration sample.
Krane, JF, Cibas, ES, Endo, M, Marqusee, E, Hu, MI, Nasr, CE, Waguespack, SG, Wirth, LJ, Kloos, RT
Cancer cytopathology. 2020;(7):452-459
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Abstract
Recent analytical and clinical validation of the Afirma Xpression Atlas (XA) demonstrates test reliability and the identification of genomic alterations that may inform patient management. The updated Afirma Genomic Sequencing Classifier and XA reports aim to optimize the understanding of these contributions, including decisions about observation versus surgery, the need for disease‐specific preoperative testing, associated neoplasm types, prognostics, the identification of molecular targets for systemic therapy, and the recognition of potential hereditary syndromes.
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Role of oral calcium supplementation alone or with vitamin D in preventing post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia: A meta-analysis.
Xing, T, Hu, Y, Wang, B, Zhu, J
Medicine. 2019;(8):e14455
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroidectomy is the main intervention for thyroid malignancies and some benign thyroid diseases. Its most common complication is hypocalcaemia, which requires oral or intravenous calcium therapy. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of routine calcium supplementation with or without vitamin D in preventing hypocalcaemia post-thyroidectomy. METHODS Systematic searches of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were performed. The qualities of the included articles were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The studies' qualities of outcomes and strengths of evidence were evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3, and odds ratio (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for dichotomous data. RESULTS Ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The combined study recruited 1620 patients (343 men and 1277 women) who underwent total thyroidectomy alone or with neck dissection. Calcium supplementation decreased the risk of transient postoperative hypocalcaemia (OR 0.48 [95% CI, 0.31-0.74]; P < .001) but did not decrease the demand for intravenous supplementation or the rate of permanent hypocalcaemia compared to no treatment. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the rate of transient hypocalcaemia and the demand for intravenous supplementation compared to either no treatment (OR 0.21 [95% CI, 0.11-0.40]; P < .001 and OR 0.26 [95% CI, 0.10-0.69]; P = .007, respectively) or calcium alone (OR 0.39 [95% CI, 0.18-0.84]; P = .02 and OR 0.18 [95% CI, 0.07-0.47]; P < .001, respectively), but did not decrease the rate of permanent hypocalcaemia. GRADE-based confidence was moderate. CONCLUSION Postoperative calcium supplementation is effective for preventing post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia. Calcium plus vitamin D was more effective than calcium alone in preventing postoperative hypocalcaemia and decreasing the demand for intravenous calcium supplementation. Further, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to validate our findings.
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Post-thyroidectomy Hypocalcemia - Risk Factors and Management.
Păduraru, DN, Ion, D, Carsote, M, Andronic, O, Bolocan, A
Chirurgia (Bucharest, Romania : 1990). 2019;(5):564-570
Abstract
The complications of thyroidectomy vary from hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve lesions to injury of vocal folds, local hematoma, cysts, granuloma. Post-operative hypocalcemia has an incidence of 1.2-40%. Permanent hyoparathyroidism is registered in 3% of cases. This is a brief narrative review focusing on the levels of calcium after performing a thyroidectomy and the need of calcium supplements under these circumstances. This complication, even it seems rather harmless at first, in fact it represents an important contributor to hospitalization delay and, especially for severe forms, to poor quality of life, including the risk of life threatening episodes. Devascularisation of parathyroid glands in addition to injury or dissection causes hypoparathyroidism. Hypocalcemia risk differs with sex (females have a higher risk), lymph node dissection (it increases the risk), it differs with type of thyroidectomy (larger dissections have a higher risk; also the intervention for recurrent goitre and second intervention for post-operatory bleeding increase the risk of hypocalcemia; while Basedow disease is probably at higher risk than multinodular goitre among benign conditions) and the duration of procedure. Pre-operatory low calcium, parathormon (PTH), 25-hydroxivitamin D increases the risk. The calcium drop rate matters as well: a decrease of 1 mg/dL calcium over 12 hours after surgery is independently correlated with the risk of symptomatic hypocalcemia. Early post-operatory PTH and calcium are best predictors for the need of oral calcium supplements. Routine post-operatory calcium and vitamin D supplementation statistically significant decreases the risk of developing transitory hypocalcemia and acute complications compare to calcium alone supplements or no supplements. In cases of hypoparathyroidism calcitriol is preferred.
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American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Section clinical consensus statement: North American quality statements and evidence-based multidisciplinary workflow algorithms for the evaluation and management of thyroid nodules.
Meltzer, CJ, Irish, J, Angelos, P, Busaidy, NL, Davies, L, Dwojak, S, Ferris, RL, Haugen, BR, Harrell, RM, Haymart, MR, et al
Head & neck. 2019;(4):843-856
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BACKGROUND Care for patients with thyroid nodules is complex and multidisciplinary, and research demonstrates variation in care. The objective was to develop clinical guidelines and quality metrics to reduce unwarranted variation and improve quality. METHODS Multidisciplinary expert consensus and modified Delphi approach. Source documents were workflow algorithms from Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Cancer Care of Ontario based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association management guidelines for adult patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer. RESULTS A consensus-based, unified preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative workflow was developed for North American use. Twenty-one panelists achieved consensus on 16 statements about workflow-embedded process and outcomes metrics addressing safety, access, appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness, and patient centeredness of care. CONCLUSION A panel of Canadian and United States experts achieved consensus on workflows and quality metric statements to help reduce unwarranted variation in care, improving overall quality of care for patients diagnosed with thyroid nodules.
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Treatment of Aggressive Thyroid Cancer.
Huang, J, Harris, EJ, Lorch, JH
Surgical pathology clinics. 2019;(4):943-950
Abstract
Although thyroid cancer generally has a good prognosis, there is a subset of patients for whom standard care (ie, treatment limited to surgery or surgery plus radioactive iodine) is either not appropriate because of the aggressive nature of their disease or not sufficient because of disease progression through standard treatment. Most of these tumors are in 3 groups: radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma including poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, and progressive medullary thyroid carcinoma. Major classes of treatments in clinical development for these aggressive thyroid tumors include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitors.
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Follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer - what should (and what should not) be done.
Lamartina, L, Grani, G, Durante, C, Borget, I, Filetti, S, Schlumberger, M
Nature reviews. Endocrinology. 2018;(9):538-551
Abstract
The treatment paradigm for thyroid cancer has shifted from a one-size-fits-all approach to more personalized protocols that range from active surveillance to total thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine remnant ablation. Accurate surveillance tools are available, but follow-up protocols vary widely between centres and clinicians, owing to the lack of clear, straightforward recommendations on the instruments and assessment schedule that health-care professionals should adopt. For most patients (that is, those who have had an excellent response to the initial treatment and have a low or intermediate risk of tumour recurrence), an infrequent assessment schedule is sufficient (such as a yearly determination of serum levels of TSH and thyroglobulin). Select patients will benefit from second-line imaging and more frequent assessments. This Review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the surveillance tools and follow-up strategies that clinicians use as a function of the initial treatment and each patient's risk of recurrence.
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Lingual Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of Surgical Approaches in the Literature.
Stokes, W, Interval, E, Patel, R
The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology. 2018;(7):475-480
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lingual thyroid cancer is a rare entity with a paucity of literature guiding methods of surgical treatment. Its location presents anatomic challenges with access and excision. OBJECTIVE We present a case of T4aN1b classical variant papillary thyroid carcinoma of the lingual thyroid that was removed without pharyngeal entry. We also present a review of the literature of this rare entity and propose a treatment algorithm to provide safe and oncologic outcomes. FINDINGS Our review of the literature found 28 case reports of lingual thyroid carcinoma that met search criteria. The trans-cervical/trans-hyoid approach was the most frequently used and provides safe oncologic outcomes. This was followed by the transoral approach and then lateral pharyngotomy. Complications reported across the series include 1 case of pharyngocutaneous fistula associated with mandibulotomy and postoperative respiratory distress requiring reintubation or emergent tracheostomy in 2 patients. CONCLUSION The location of lingual thyroid carcinoma can be variable, and surgical management requires knowledge of adjacent involved structures to decrease the risk of dysphagia and airway compromise. In particular, for cases where there is extensive loss to swallowing mechanisms, laryngeal suspension can allow the patient to resume a normal diet after treatment.
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[Risk factors' analysis of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy].
Cocchiara, G, Cajozzo, M, Fazzotta, S, Palumbo, VD, Geraci, G, Maione, C, Buscemi, S, Romano, G, Fatica, F, Spinelli, G, et al
La Clinica terapeutica. 2017;(4):e271-e277
Abstract
AIMS: This review evaluates those main risk factors that can affect patients undergoing thyroidectomy, to reach a better pre- and post-operative management of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism. DISCUSSION The transient hypoparathyroidism is a potentially severe complication of thyroidectomy, including a wide range of signs and symptoms that persists for a few weeks. The definitive hypoparathyroidism occurs when a medical treatment is necessary over 12 months. Risk factors that may influence the onset of this condition after thyroidectomy include: pre- and post-operative biochemical factors, such as serum calcium levels, vitamin D blood concentrations and intact PTH. Other involved factors could be summarized as follow: female sex, Graves' or thyroid neoplastic diseases, surgeon's dexterity and surgical technique. The medical treatment includes the administration of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium sometimes. CONCLUSIONS Although biological and biochemical factors could be related to iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism, the surgeon's experience and the used surgical technique still maintain a crucial role in the aetiology of this important complication.