Risk of Diabetes in Patients with Long-Standing Graves' Disease: A Longitudinal Study

Safety of non-standard regimen of systemic steroid therapy in patients with Graves' orbitopathy: a single-centre experience

BACKGROUND

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disorder of the orbit and retro-ocular tissues and the primary extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease. In moderate-to-severe and active GO iv glucocorticoids (GCs) are recommended as first-line treatment. The aim was to assess the safety profile of methylprednisolone administered intravenously for three consecutive days at 1 g in patients with active, moderate-to-severe or sight-threatening Graves' orbitopathy.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 161 medical records of patients with GO treated with high-dose systemic GCs in the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolic Disorders, and Internal Medicine in Poznań between 2014 and 2021. Clinical data included age, gender, laboratory results, activity and severity of GO, smoking status, disease duration, and presented side effects.

RESULTS

The presence of mild side effects was observed during 114 (71%) hospitalizations. The most common complications were hyperglycemia (n = 95) and elevated aminotransferases (n = 31). Increased levels of aminotransferases were more likely observed in smokers and GO duration above 12 months. Based on the multivariate logistic regression, higher TRAb and CAS values were significantly associated with lower odds of hyperglycemia. In turn, the increased odds of elevated aminotransferases were significantly correlated with higher initial ALT levels, female gender, and GO duration above 12 months. In addition, the multidimensional correspondence analysis (MPA) showed that GO patients who declared smoking and had not L-ornithine L-aspartate applied demonstrated a higher probability of elevated aminotransferases.

CONCLUSIONS

Active GO treatment with high-dose systemic GCs is not associated with serious side effects. Hyperglycemia is the most common steroid-induced complication.

Thyroid Eye Disease and Its Association With Diabetes Mellitus: A Major Review

PURPOSE

Thyroid eye disease (TED) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) presents unique challenges. DM is a risk factor for TED. Standard management of TED with glucocorticoids (GC), orbital radiation, or teprotumumab can cause adverse events in poor glycemic control. The authors reviewed the literature on the relationship between TED and DM and the management of co-existing diseases.

METHODS

The authors searched PubMed with keywords "thyroid eye disease," "diabetes mellitus," and similar terms from 2013 to 2022. The authors included relevant studies after screening the abstracts. Additional references to the selected studies were included where applicable. Data were extracted from the final articles according to the preplanned outline of the review.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 279 abstracts. The final review included 93 articles. TED and DM interact at multiple levels-genetic, immunologic, cellular, nutritional, and metabolic. Both DM and thyroid dysfunction exacerbate the morbidity caused by the other. Metabolic factors also affect the inflammatory pathway for TED. Patients with DM develop TED with greater frequency and severity, necessitating interventions for vision salvage. Agents (GC, teprotumumab, or radiation) used for TED are often unsuitable for treatment with DM, especially if there is poor glycemic control or diabetic retinopathy. There were no studies on using steroid-sparing agents in TED with DM.

CONCLUSION

TED and DM co-exist because of multiple intersections in the pathophysiology. Challenges in the treatment include increased TED severity and risk of hyperglycemia and retinopathy. Multidisciplinary teams best undertake treatment of TED with DM.

Diabetes Mellitus Secondary to Endocrine Diseases: An Update of Diagnostic and Treatment Particularities

Secondary diabetes mellitus is frequently ignored in specialized literature. In this narrative review, the main endocrinopathies accompanied by increased glycemic values are identified, as well as the mechanisms by which the excess or deficiency of certain hormones impact beta cell function or insulin resistance. The main endocrinopathies (acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome, Basedow-Graves' disease, pheochromocytoma, somatostatinoma and glucagonoma) and their characteristics are described along with the impact of hormone changes on blood sugar, body mass index and other parameters associated with diabetes. The overall information regarding the complex molecular mechanisms that cause the risk of secondary diabetes and metabolic syndrome is of crucial importance in order to prevent the development of the disease and its complications and particularly to reduce the cardiovascular risk of these patients. The purpose of this study is to highlight the particular features of endocrine pathologies accompanied by an increased risk of developing diabetes, in the context of personalized therapeutic decision making. The epidemiological, physiopathological, clinical and therapeutic approaches are presented along with the importance of screening for diabetes in endocrine diseases.

Control of Thyroid Dysfunction in Spanish Population Registered in the Primary Care Clinical Database: An Analysis of the Proportion of Patients with Thyrotropin Values Outside the Reference Range

Inadequate control of thyroid dysfunction is common and has deleterious health consequences. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of TSH values outside the reference range, as an indicator of inadequate control of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in patients undergoing treatment for thyroid dysfunction in Spain. An observational, retrospective, non-interventional study was conducted using the Primary Care Clinical Database (BDCAP). Patients treated with thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism and with antithyroid drugs for hyperthyroidism were identified. We assessed serum TSH concentration, considering values from 0.4 to 4.0 mU/l as the reference interval. We found 360 313 people with hypothyroidism on thyroid hormone replacement and 9239 with hyperthyroidism on antithyroid drugs therapy. TSH values outside the reference range in hypothyroid subject were detected in 126 866 (35.20%) people, of whom 107 205 (29.75%) had TSH>4.0 mU/l, suggesting inappropriately low doses of levothyroxine, and 19 661 (5.46%) had TSH<0.4 mU/l, suggesting inappropriate over replacement. In the hyperthyroid group, TSH values outside the reference range were observed in 4252 (46.02%) patients. There were 2833 (30.66%) patients with TSH<0.4 mU/l, suggesting undertreatment, and 1419 (15.36%) with TSH>4.0 mU/l, suggesting overtreatment with antithyroid medication. People over 65 years of age had a lower frequency of undertreatment of hypothyroidism and a lower frequency of overtreatment and undertreatment of hyperthyroidism. In conclusion, our results suggest that inadequate control of thyroid dysfunction, due to its high frequency and its consequences for health, is a public health problem that should be addressed by clinicians and health authorities.

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its relationship to income level and employment status: a nationwide population-based study in Spain

PURPOSE

The influence of socioeconomic conditions on the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the population has been scarcely studied to date. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the influence of income level and employment status on the prevalence of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed using the population-based database BDCAP (Base de Datos Clínicos de Atención Primaria, Primary Care Clinical Database) to analyze the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the Spanish population classified by income groups and employment status.

RESULTS

Of the 40,613,229 people registered in the BDCAP in 2020, there were 2,596,041 (6.39%) with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and 418,722 (1.03%) with hyperthyroidism. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in people with high income (≥ 100,000 euros/year), medium income (18,000-99,999 euros/year), low income (< 18,000 euros/year), and very low income were, respectively, 4.23%, 5.74%, 6.75%, and 7.01% (P < 0.001). The prevalence of hyperthyroidism in the same income groups also showed an increasing trend as income decreased (0.65%, 0.94%, 1.08%, and 1.10%; P < 0.001). Unemployed people had higher frequencies of hypothyroidism (7.35%) and hyperthyroidism (1.22%) than working people (5.80 and 1.00%, respectively) and inactive people (4.21 and 0.52%, respectively; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic conditions are related to the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction. Low-income or unemployed people have a higher frequency of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Prevalencia de diabetes en personas con disfunción tiroidea

OBJECTIVE

To describe the prevalence and relative risk of diabetes in the population with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

METHODS

A retrospective study was carried out using the Primary Care Clinical Database (BDCAP) of the Ministry of Health. Relative risks (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for type1 (T1D) and type2 (T2D) diabetes.

RESULTS

In the group of 2,596,041 hypothyroid patients, we found an OR of 1.77 (95%CI: 1.75-1.80) for T1D, and 1.77 (95%CI: 1.76-1.78) for T2D. This elevated risk was observed in both men and women. Hypothyroid people over 65years of age had a near neutral risk of T1D (0.96 [95%CI: 0.94-0.99]) and T2D (0.99 [95%CI: 0.98-0.99]). Hypothyroid patients receiving replacement therapy showed a higher risk of T1D (1.32 [95%CI: 1.28-1.36]) and T2D (1.23 [95%CI: 1.22-1.24]) compared to untreated hypothyroid patients. In the group of 418,772 people with hyperthyroidism, an increased risk of T1D (1.66 [95%CI: 1.60-1.72]) and T2D (1.71 [95%CI: 1.70-1.73]) was also noticed. This risk was observed in both sexes. Those over 65years of age did not present a high risk of T1D (0.89 [95%CI: 0.83-0.95]) and their risk of T2D was close to neutrality (1.03 [95%CI: 1.02-1.05]). Hyperthyroid patients treated with antithyroid agents had a higher risk of T1D (1.26 [95%CI: 1.14-1.40]) and T2D (1.32 [95%CI: 1.28-1.36]) than those without therapy.

CONCLUSION

People registered in BDCAP of both sexes, under 65years of age, with thyroid dysfunction have an increased risk of suffering from diabetes, especially those on thyroid medication.

Metabolite Changes during the Transition from Hyperthyroidism to Euthyroidism in Patients with Graves' Disease

BACKGRUOUND

An excess of thyroid hormones in Graves' disease (GD) has profound effects on systemic energy metabolism that are currently partially understood. In this study, we aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the metabolite changes that occur when patients with GD transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism with methimazole treatment.

METHODS

Eighteen patients (mean age, 38.6±14.7 years; 66.7% female) with newly diagnosed or relapsed GD attending the endocrinology outpatient clinics in a single institution were recruited between January 2019 and July 2020. All subjects were treated with methimazole to achieve euthyroidism. We explored metabolomics by performing liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of plasma samples of these patients and then performed multivariate statistical analysis of the metabolomics data.

RESULTS

Two hundred metabolites were measured before and after 12 weeks of methimazole treatment in patients with GD. The levels of 61 metabolites, including palmitic acid (C16:0) and oleic acid (C18:1), were elevated in methimazole-naïve patients with GD, and these levels were decreased by methimazole treatment. The levels of another 15 metabolites, including glycine and creatinine, were increased after recovery of euthyroidism upon methimazole treatment in patients with GD. Pathway analysis of metabolomics data showed that hyperthyroidism was closely related to aminoacyl-transfer ribonucleic acid biosynthesis and branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis pathways.

CONCLUSION

In this study, significant variations of plasma metabolomic patterns that occur during the transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism were detected in patients with GD via untargeted metabolomics analysis.