Objective: To examine the association between thyroid function and the components of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in an Hispanic population. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Subjects with no history of thyroid disease or diabetes were included. Thyroid function was stratified as euthyroid or subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) status and subsequently by free thyroxine (FT 4 ) and TSH tertiles. The association of the metabolic syndrome components (defined by 2004 Adult Treatment Panel III criteria) and insulin resistance with thyroid status, TSH, and FT 4 were examined. Results: A total of 3148 subjects were analyzed. The prevalence of SCH was 8.3%. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was similar in euthyroid and SCH patients (31.6 vs 32.06%, PZ0.89). Total cholesterol was higher in patients with SCH (5.51G1.19 vs 5.34G1.05 mmol/l, P!0.032). Serum TSH values showed a positive correlation (adjusted for age and sex) with total cholesterol, triglycerides, and waist circumference. In contrast, FT 4 showed a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and an inverse correlation with waist circumference, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Conclusion: SCH is not associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome (as conceived as a diagnostic category defined by the National Cholesterol, Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III criteria). Despite this, low thyroid function (even in the euthyroid state) predisposes to higher cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels. The combined use of TSH and FT 4 , compared with the assessment based on only FT 4 , is a more convenient approach to evaluate the association between thyroid function and metabolic variables.

BackgroundThere is no consensus on the optimal treatment of multinodular goiter (MNG), but in the past few years, the use of radioiodine has increased. This study’s objective was to evaluate adjuvant methimazole (MMI) therapy to increase and standardize radioiodine uptake (RAIU) with a fixed therapeutic 131I dose of 1110 MBq (30 mCi).MethodsOur study included 5 women with MNG treated with MMI, 10 - 15 mg/day for 2 to 4 months, prior to the administration of 1110 MBq 131I (30 mCi); none of the patients developed hypothyroidism during MMI therapy and had average basal TSH levels of 0.32 ± 0.39 mIU/L that increased to 2.6 ± 0.9 mIU/L (P = 0.07).ResultsRAIU increased from 25.6 ± 8.7% to 49.2 ± 8.3% (P = 0.003). All patients were followed for 12 months: median thyroid volume (TV) decreased from 77.2 mL (32.9 - 124.2) to 48.8 ml (12.4 - 68.9) with an average decrease of 46.4 ± 14.8% (P = 0.01). All patients developed hypothyroidism during the first 6 months after radioiodine therapy.ConclusionsThis new therapeutic protocol using MMI as adjuvant therapy is effective in increasing RAIU as well as the deleterious effects of 131I, without increasing the required dose, but leading to thyroid volume decreases similar to those reported with the use of recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) or higher radioiodine doses.

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ObjectiveIt is not clear which phase of insulin secretion is more important to regulate lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. After a meal, insulin is released and acts as a major regulator of LPL activity. Postprandial hyperlipidemia is a common comorbidity in subjects with insulin resistance (IR). Therefore this study aimed to evaluate the role of the first-phase insulin secretion (FPIS) on postprandial lipidemia in subjects with IR and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).Research design and methodsThis is a cross-sectional, observational and comparative study. We included male and female subjects between 40 and 60 years with a body mass index (BMI) between 23 and 30 kg/m2. Then, patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 consisted of control subjects with normal glucose tolerance and preserved FPIS. Group 2 included patients with IGT and a reduced FPIS. Group 3 consisted of subjects with IGT but normal FPIS. Both groups were paired by age and BMI with subjects in the control group. Subjects underwent an intravenous glucose tolerance test to classify each case, and then a load with a mixed meal load to measure postprandial lipidemia.ResultsA total of 32 subjects were evaluated: 10 were control subjects, 8 subjects with IGT with a reduced FPIS and 14 subjects with IGT and preserved FPIS. After administration of a standardized meal, group 2 showed a greater glucose area under the curve (AUC) at 30 and 120 min (p=0.001, for both). This group also showed a statistically significant increase (p<0.001) in triglyceride AUC.ConclusionsA reduced FPIS is significantly and independently associated with a larger postprandial hyperlipidemia in subjects with IGT.