Publications (10)23.3 Total impact
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Article: Anemia in a cohort of men with macroprolactinomas: increase in hemoglobin levels follows prolactin suppression.
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ABSTRACT: Men with hypogonadism tend to have low hemoglobin (HGB) levels. We have investigated a cohort of 36 consecutive male patients with macroprolactinomas to evaluate HGB during presentation and following treatment with cabergoline to suppress prolactin (PRL). Patients' mean age at diagnosis was 48 years, the mean adenoma size measured 31 mm. The median PRL at baseline was 1,969 ng/ml; the mean testosterone level was low, 1.5 ng/ml. PRL had been successfully normalized in all but six men by using cabergoline. Mean baseline HGB at diagnosis was 13.1 gr%. Sixteen patients had HGB ≤ 13 gr%, including 4 men with HGB ≤ 11.5 gr%. In the subgroup of 15 men with very low testosterone (≤ 1 ng/ml), baseline HGB was 12.6 gr% compared with 13.5 gr% in patients with higher testosterone (P < 0.005). In 30 men in whom follow-up CBC data were available, mean baseline HGB increased from 13.2 to 13.9 gr% following PRL suppression by cabergoline. Baseline HGB levels inversely correlated with tumor size, reaching levels of 13.7 gr% in 10 men with macroprolactinomas of 10-20 mm in size, 13.0 gr% in 18 subjects with macroadenomas of 21-40 mm, and 12.4 gr% in 7 patients with giant prolactinomas (>40 mm). In 22 men with normal follow-up testosterone, current HGB levels measured 14.5 gr%, but only 12.8 gr% in 9 men with current low testosterone (P < 0.0005). In men with macroprolactinomas, anemia is common. It is associated with hypogonadism and tumor size, and improves following treatment that normalizes PRL and increases testosterone.Pituitary 03/2011; 14(1):11-5. · 1.83 Impact Factor -
Article: Impact of pregnancy on outcome and prognosis of survivors of papillary thyroid cancer.
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ABSTRACT: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) commonly affects women of child-bearing age. During normal pregnancy, several factors may have a stimulatory effect on normal and nodular thyroid growth. The aim of the study was to determine whether pregnancy in thyroid-cancer survivors poses a risk of progression or recurrence of the disease. The files of 63 consecutive women who were followed at the Endocrine Institute for PTC in 1992-2009 and had given birth at least once after receiving treatment were reviewed for clinical, biochemical, and imaging data. Thyroglobulin levels and neck ultrasound findings were compared before and after pregnancy. Demographic and disease-related characteristics and levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) during pregnancy were correlated with disease persistence before conception and disease progression during pregnancy using Pearson's analysis. Mean time to the first delivery after completion of thyroid-cancer treatment was 5.08 ± 4.39 years; mean duration of follow up after the first delivery was 4.84 ± 3.80 years. Twenty-three women had more than one pregnancy, for a total of 90 births. Six women had evidence of thyroid cancer progression during the first pregnancy; one of them also showed disease progression during a second pregnancy. Another two patients had evidence of disease progression only during their second pregnancy. Mean TSH level during pregnancy was 2.65 ± 4.14 mIU/L. There was no correlation of disease progression during pregnancy with pathological staging, interval from diagnosis to pregnancy, TSH level during pregnancy, or thyroglobulin level before conception. There was a positive correlation of cancer progression with persistence of thyroid cancer before pregnancy and before total I-131 dose was administered. Pregnancy does not cause thyroid cancer recurrence in PTC survivors who have no structural or biochemical evidence of disease persistence at the time of conception. However, in the presence of such evidence, disease progression may occur during pregnancy, yet not necessarily as a consequence of pregnancy. The finding that a nonsuppressed TSH level during pregnancy does not stimulate disease progression suggests that it may be an acceptable therapeutic goal in this setting.Thyroid: official journal of the American Thyroid Association 10/2010; 20(10):1179-85. · 2.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Clinical characteristics and outcome of familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer: a retrospective controlled study.
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ABSTRACT: Familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer (FNMTC) is a disease defined by clustering of thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin, and it is estimated to account for 5% of all thyroid cancers. Several studies found FNMTC to be more aggressive than sporadic disease, whereas others found them to have a similar course and outcome. The purpose of this study was to determine whether FNMTC is more aggressive than sporadic thyroid cancer. A retrospective controlled study of FNMTC versus sporadic nonmedullary thyroid cancers was conducted using a registry of patients with thyroid cancer. Data on disease severity at presentation, treatment modalities, and outcome were collected. Sixty-seven patients with FNMTC and 375 controls with sporadic disease were included. Follow-up period was 8.6 ± 10 years for patients with FNMTC and 8.4 ± 9.1 years for sporadic cases. Patients with FNMTC had comparable disease severity at diagnosis as sporadic patients, underwent similar surgical and radioiodine treatments, and had similar long-term disease-free survival. Long-term outcome in families with three or more affected relatives was similar to families with only two affected relatives. Our results suggest that FNMTC is not more aggressive than sporadic thyroid cancer within our studied population. After a similar therapeutic strategy, FNMTC and sporadic cases had comparable prognosis, including in families with three or more affected members.Thyroid: official journal of the American Thyroid Association 10/2010; 21(1):43-8. · 2.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Illness perception in patients with differentiated epithelial cell thyroid cancer.
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ABSTRACT: Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) usually have a good prognosis but may experience a decline in quality of life (QOL). The way patients perceive their illness may have a major impact on their QOL. Our hypothesis was that patients with DTC frequently perceive their illness as much more severe than its objective clinical characteristics indicate. The aim of the study was to investigate how patients with DTC perceive their illness and to correlate these findings to various demographic parameters as well as objective indices of disease severity. The self-administered Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) was completed by consecutive patients with DTC during routine follow-up at the endocrine clinic. The questionnaire consists of three parts that measure different aspects of illness perception. The patients' medical records were reviewed for data on demographic parameters (sex, age) and indices of disease severity (duration of DTC, disease stage at diagnosis, number of operations, number of radioactive iodine treatments, and evidence of disease persistence/recurrence). The patients were also asked for additional data on family status, level of education, and employment status. Pearson and Spearman correlations and analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. The study group included 110 patients (91 women) of mean age 53.5 years. Level of education was the only demographic factor found to affect the patients' perception of their illness. There was no correlation of patient illness perception and cancer stage. Among the disease-severity parameters, time since last treatment, evidence of disease persistence, and number of iodine treatments were significantly associated with a negative disease perception. Number of iodine treatments was the most broadly affecting factor. There was a high correlation of scores among the various illness perception subscales. Patients with DTC perceive their illness on a subjective, emotional basis unrelated to its actual severity. To improve patients' illness representations and, consequently, their QOL, a trained psychologist should be included in the multidisciplinary team that manages patients with DTC. Attention should be particularly directed to less-educated patients and patients who require repeated iodine treatments.Thyroid: official journal of the American Thyroid Association 06/2009; 19(5):459-65. · 2.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: comparison of microscopic and macroscopic disease.
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ABSTRACT: The rapid increase in the incidence of well-differentiated thyroid cancer in recent years is the result of smaller thyroid tumors (1 cm or less) being diagnosed more frequently. Few studies are available regarding the appropriate approach to this previously known postmortem incidental finding, and their results remain controversial. In 2005, our center started a registry of all patients with nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma who were followed at our institute. In the present study, data on the background, clinical, and outcome characteristics were collected from the registry for 225 patients with microscopic disease and 543 patients with macroscopic disease. Patients with microscopic disease were slightly older (51 vs. 47.5 years, p = 0.003), had a higher female to male ratio (189:37 vs. 419:123; p = 0.06), and were affected more by papillary carcinoma (98.2% vs. 85.5%; p < 0.001). Multifocal disease was documented in 50.2% of the patients with microscopic disease and 46.8% of the patients with macroscopic disease (NS), and bilateral disease, in 42.6% and 36.8%, respectively (NS). Corresponding rates for the two groups for other tumor-related factors were as follows: lymph node involvement at initial treatment, 25.7% and 30% (NS); distant metastases, 2.4% and 5.1% (p = 0.16); persistent/recurrent disease, 11% and 32% (p < 0.001); and new distant metastases, 2.65% and 6.5% (p = 0.07). At a median follow-up of 5 years, 96% of the microscopic carcinoma group were disease free compared to 77% of the macroscopic group (p < 0.001). The differences between patients with microscopic and macroscopic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma may not justify a different therapeutic approach.Thyroid: official journal of the American Thyroid Association 04/2009; 19(5):487-94. · 2.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Efficacy of long-term lanreotide treatment in patients with acromegaly.
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the effectiveness of lanreotide for the treatment of active acromegaly in a retrospectively multicenter case series including 53 patients (24 male, 29 female; mean age at diagnosis, 49.5 +/- 13.9 years) with acromegaly treated with lanreotide in nine different centers. Mean tumor diameter was 20 +/- 13 mm; mean basal levels of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were 21.3 +/- 26.3 and 579 +/- 177 mug/l, respectively. The primary mode of treatment was surgery in 70% of patients. Twenty-nine patients received only lanreotide (Prolonged Release, Autogel), whereas 24 subjects were also treated with octreotide at another treatment stage. Primary therapy with lanreotide was administered in five patients. Maximal monthly dose of lanreotide Autogel (n = 44) was 60 mg in 45%, 90 mg in 26%, 120 mg in 21% and 180 mg in 8%. During 36 months of lanreotide treatment, mean IGF-I levels decreased from 443 +/- 238 to 276 +/- 147 mug/l (P < 0.001), and mean GH levels, from 5.2 +/- 6.4 to 3.2 +/- 3.0 mug/l (P < 0.001). IGF-I levels normalized in 51% of patients and decreased by >50% towards normal in 32%; the normalization rate was higher in women (65%) than men (33%, P = 0.04). Safe random GH levels (</=2 mug/l) were achieved in 49% of patients. Both IGF-I normalization and safe GH levels were reached in 32% of the cohort. Lanreotide is an effective treatment for active acromegaly. Female sex was associated with higher rates of IGF-I normalization.Pituitary 03/2009; 12(4):285-93. · 1.83 Impact Factor -
Article: Aggressive presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma: where has the vertebra gone?
Thyroid 10/2007; 17(9):897-8. · 4.79 Impact Factor -
Article: Effectiveness of long-term cabergoline treatment for giant prolactinoma: study of 12 men.
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ABSTRACT: To review our experience with cabergoline, a D2-selective dopamine agonist, for the treatment of giant prolactinomas. A retrospective case series; descriptive statistics. The study group included 12 men aged 24-52 years (mean 39.2 years) treated for giant prolactinoma at our centers from 1997 to 2006. Cabergoline was started at a dose of 0.5 mg/three times a week and progressively increased as necessary to up to 7 mg/week. Patients were followed by hormone measurements, sellar magnetic resonance imaging, and visual examinations. In ten patients, cabergoline served as first-line therapy. The other two patients had previously undergone transsphenoidal partial tumor resection because of visual deterioration. Mean serum prolactin level before treatment was 14,393 +/- 14,579 ng/ml (range 2047-55,033 ng/ml; normal 5-17 ng/ml). Following treatment, levels normalized in ten men within 1-84 months (mean, 25.3 months) and decreased in the other two to 2-3 times of normal. Tumor diameter, which measured 40-70 mm at diagnosis, showed a mean maximal decrease of 47 +/- 21%; response was first noted about 6 months after the onset of treatment. Nine patients had visual field defects at diagnosis; vision returned to normal in three of them and improved in five. Testosterone levels, initially low in all patients, normalized in eight. There were no side effects of treatment. Cabergoline therapy appears to be effective and safe in men with giant prolactinomas. These findings suggest that cabergoline should be the first-line therapy for aggressive prolactinomas, even in patients with visual field defects.European Journal of Endocrinology 03/2007; 156(2):225-31. · 3.42 Impact Factor -
Article: Assessment of iodine intake in the Israel coastal area.
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ABSTRACT: Iodine intake is necessary to maintain normal thyroid function and prevent iodine deficiency disorders. In 1990, a resolution calling for universal salt iodination to eliminate iodine deficiency worldwide was taken by the World Health Organization and endorsed by some 130 countries. As of today, very little is known about iodine intake and the prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders in Israel, and the authorities do not require iodine enrichment of regular salt. To assess the current level of iodine intake in an unselected group of residents from the Israeli costal area. Spot urine samples were collected from three groups: Group A comprising 51 pregnant women attending the Womens Health Clinic at our institution, with a mean age of 32 years and at gestational week 28; group B consisting of 35 healthy subjects, mean age 38; and group C consisting of 16 euthyroid subjects harboring nodular goiters. Tap water and mineral water were also analyzed for iodine content. Iodine concentration was measured using the catalytic reduction of ceric ammonium sulfate method. When considering all groups together the median urinary iodine concentration was 143 micrograms/L, with 27% of the study population having concentrations under 100 micrograms/L and 7.8% under 50 micrograms/L. Values were distributed similarly between sites of residency, and no significant differences were seen between groups. The mean iodine concentration for tap drinking water was 22.8 micrograms/L (range 0.5-53.5 micrograms/L) and for mineral water 7 micrograms/L (range 0-15 micrograms/L). Overall, iodine intake appeared to be satisfactory in our study population, however mild deficiency may exist in up to 26% of this group. A nationwide survey is needed to better determine the status of iodine intake in Israel, allowing for recommendations on salt-iodine enrichment in the future.The Israel Medical Association journal: IMAJ 03/2004; 6(2):75-7. · 1.02 Impact Factor -
Article: [Subclinical pulmonary dysfunction: an unrecognized diabetes complication?].
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ABSTRACT: The diabetic patient is susceptible to a series of chronic complications and at risk of premature death. The micro- and macrovascular complications of diabetes are very well known. Despite the scarce information on the implications of diabetes for pulmonary function, supporting evidence suggests that the respiratory system is also affected by diabetes. Both collagen and microvascular abnormalities have been proposed as the underlying defects rendering diabetic patients susceptible to respiratory dysfunction. The findings in the few clinical studies that have addressed this question to date are controversial. In this article we review the literature published on this subject.Harefuah 04/2002; 141(3):292-6, 312.
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Institutions
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2002–2010
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Rabin Medical Center
Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
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