During COVID-19 era, a special attention was considered for autoimmune disorders (AD), including at thyroid, which are regarded at higher risk knowing that stress and infections might aggravate the pattern of anti-thyroid antibodies as well as thyroid dysfunction. In this study, we aim to analyse how COVID-19 infection influenced the evolution of HT parameters versus patients with HT who did not go through infection. Study design: an observational, bi-centric study in Romania during first 14 months of pandemic. By the end of April 2022, Romania registered 1,047,520 total cases of COVID- 19 infection (a morbidity rate calculated for entire Romanian population of 5.23%) with 27,267 total deaths (a lethality rate of 2.6%) and around 2000 new patients a day. From our database of 2210 HT patients, a number of 386 HT subjects were assessed (14 months). Among them, 33/386 patients had a different form of COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of COVID- 19 infection among HT patients was 9.35% which is statistically significant higher when compare with official ratio for entire Romanian population (a morbidity rate of 5.23%, z = 3.162, p = 0.00033). A feminine prevalence was identified (89.37%, N=31/33), while age was not different between subgroups (average age over 50 y). At the moment of diagnostic, thyroid levels at the diagnostic time was 650 UI/mL in group 1 versus 840 UI/mL in group 2 (both groups had very high ATPO values, normal cut-offs below 34 UI/mL) with not statistical significance difference - of ATPO evolution was undulatory in 74.07% of patients, decreasing - 3.7%, increasing - 11.11%, unmodified (stationary) - 11.11%, similarly with group 2, meaning that ATPOs had the same profile, regardless the fact that some subjects went through COVID-19 infection. The rate of associated AD was 28.24% (N=2210), COVID-group of 42.42%, non-COVID group of 38.53% (z = 0.44, p = 0.66). In our COVID cohort of 33 patients with HT, we registered the following clinical stages of coronavirus infection: 4/33 patients who were asymptomatic; all women, average age: 65.65 years; 2/33 patients with lack of smell and taste; women, over 65 years old; 14/33 patients with mild form; from 31 years old to 70.5 years old (only one man); 10 patients with a moderate form; all women, from 34 to 71 years old; one 87-year-old male with a severe form; one 50-year old female with a very severe form in addition to a hematologic disease and a history of severe allergic reactions; and a single patient (a 68-year-old, obese female with a severe allergic background) died of COVID-19 infection (thus generating a lethality rate of 3.03%). Conclusion. Our study showed a higher prevalence of COVID-19 infection among HT patients. These individuals do not associate increased levels of ATPO or a elevated prevalence of AD when compare with non- COVID – HT group, and have similar age and sex ratio. Whether HT exposes the subjects to coronavirus infection is an open issue.
Evaluation of the size of the kidney's parameters of patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) can provide relevant knowledge about the prognosis factors of VUR's complications. The study aimed to assess the size of the renal parameters of children with VUR and compare the results with healthy matched cases by the ultrasound method. Methods: In this case-control study, children under 14 years of age with VUR in our pediatric urology practice from May 2019 to May 2020 were included. Eighty children were included in the two groups (case (40 cases) and control group (40 cases)) in the study. The case group included children with VUR, while the control group included healthy children. The data regarding Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), the length and width of the kidney, the size of the pelvis, parenchyma thickness, and volume of the kidney were recorded. Results: The mean age of children was 3.07 ± 3.05 years, and 35.0% of them were male. The mean number of UTIs in the VUR group was 1.90 ± 1.15 and in the control group was 1.10±0.30 (P=0.031). The incidence of UTIs was significantly higher in the VUR group than in the control group (P<0.001). Length, width, the posterior-anterior diameter of kidney, renal parenchyma thickness, and renal volume in the VUR group were significantly lower than the control group (P< 0.001). There was no difference between case and control groups in terms of anterior-posterior diameter of the pelvis (P= 0.653). Conclusions: The results showed that the size of kidneys parameters in children with VUR was less than in the control group. Also, the incidence of UTIs in the VUR group was significantly higher than in the control group. Ultrasound is a safe and non- invasive tool that can use for checking the size of the children's kidneys with VUR for predict of possible complications.
Eggshell calcifications at thyroid ultrasound are connected to the challenging field of thyroid nodules and/or malignancy from a multidisciplinary perspective. Calcifications may be found in malignant and benign tumors; typically, micro-calcifications are identified in the papillary type of cancer, being equivalent to psammoma bodies in the pathological report. The risk of macro- calcifications, however, is more nuanced; recent data suggest a potential connection with a differentiated malignancy as well. Eggshell calcifications, a distinct type of macro-calcification, are generally considered benign findings, especially uninterrupted forms. Yet, the real incidence is not clear, which is why the topic remains open. In this narrative review, we analyzed eggshell calcifications in relationship with cytological diagnosis upon fine needle aspiration and post-thyroidectomy histological report. A PubMed-based search of the English-language papers using several
