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Vitamin D Levels May Predict PTH Drop After Thyroid Cancer Surgery

Vitamin D levels can accurately predict reductions in parathyroid hormone (PTH) following thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), a study reports. Its researchers recommend vitamin D supplements before surgery to minimize the drop in PTH levels in patients with PTC who have vitamin D deficiency. The study, “…

APS1 Case Report Supports Early Immunosuppressive Treatment

Starting immunosuppressive treatment early in the disease course normalized some signs of autoimmunity, halted the development of additional autoimmune diseases, and reversed total body hair loss in a girl with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1), a case study shows. While immunosuppressive therapies have been generally reserved for life-threatening…

Hypoparathyroidism Not Always Seen in APS1, Case Study Suggests

Impaired activity of the adrenal glands, a condition called Addison’s disease, may be the only typical manifestation of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1) to have occurred decades after diagnosis, a case report suggests. APS1, a rare inherited autoimmune disorder, is typically characterized by at least two of three manifestations:…

CASR Mutation Found as Cause of Patient’s Low Calcium Levels

A 13-year-old boy with autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH) — a genetic form of hypoparathyroidism characterized by low calcium — who was unresponsive to conventional therapies was successfully treated with recombinant parathyroid hormone (rhPTH), according to a case report. rhPTH is a synthetic parathyroid hormone that can help regulate calcium…

Thyroid Surgery in Children Carries Risk of Hypoparathyroidism

Children with thyroid cancer or disease who undergo surgery to remove that gland can commonly have their parathyroid glands accidentally removed during the thyroidectomy, a U.S. study reports. While such surgeries are rare in children, this finding calls for meticulous attention from surgeons performing a thyroidectomy — especially if examining…