Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder in patients with chronic heart failure. One of the most effective antiarrhythmic drugs for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmia is amiodarone. In the group of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and low left ventricular ejection fraction, it is the drug of choice when conducting a „rhythm control“ strategy. Patients receiving amiodarone often develop an adverse event – amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis, which exacerbates the course of cardiovascular pathology. In this article, we consider a clinical case of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis in a 30-year-old patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and agranulocytosis that developed against the background of thyrostatic therapy.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy has been a powerful tool in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules for more than 60 years. The Bethesda scale standardizes the results of cytology and is a tool for interaction between the laboratory and the clinician. At the same time, there is a stratification of ultrasound signs of thyroid lesions according to the TI-RADS scale. In this regard, it became necessary to determine the diagnostic value of ultrasound signs of thyroid lesions, stratified by TI-RADS, in comparison with the results of a biopsy, classified by the Bethesda scale.AIM: a comparative assessment of the results of FNA and ultrasound in determining indications for the surgical treatment of thyroid nodules.MATERIALS AND METHODS: for 2018–2021 in the surgical department of the SCC №2 of the Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 859 FNA were performed. For comparative analysis, 141 patients who underwent surgery for thyroid nodules were selected. All patients at the preoperative stage underwent FNA with stratification of the results according to the Bethesda scale and ultrasound of the thyroid gland with stratification according to the EU-TI-RADS scale.RESULTS: FNA showed high diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity, preoperative thyroid ultrasound had high specificity, but low sensitivity. The high diagnostic value of FNA was confirmed by statistical analysis of the obtained data (OR 31.29 95% CI 2.20–4.69, RR 13.28 95% CI 1.46–3.71). When analyzing preoperative ultrasound, it was not possible to obtain reliable statistical results (OR 2.99 95% CI 0.34-1.85, RR 1.97 95% CI 0.23-1.12).CONCLUSION: Ultrasound of the thyroid gland cannot replace FNA in thyroid nodules. Biopsy remains the main diagnostic method for nodular goiter. The main objective of TI-RADS-stratified ultrasound is to select patients for subsequent FNA.

Bariatric surgery is among successful methods of obesity treatment, with effects going beyond weight reduction alone, but rather involving improved glucose tolerance, along with control or remission of the type 2 diabetes mellitus. The precise mechanisms causing metabolic effects of bariatric surgery are not fully elucidated, even though substantial evidence suggest that they include changes in the gut microbiota, bile acid homeostasis, and the close interactions of these factors. Intestinal microflora is directly involved in the energy metabolism of a host human. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with certain changes in the species composition and diversity of intestinal microflora, which are considered important factors in the development and progression of these ailments. Bariatric surgery leads to significant and persistent changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota, often bringing it closer to the characteristics of the microbiota of an average person with a normal weight. An important role in implementing the metabolic effects of bariatric surgery, primarily in the improvement of glucose metabolism, belongs to postoperative changes in homeostasis of bile acids. These changes imply close metabolism. Moreover, changes in the bile acid metabolism after bariatric surgery affect the microbiota of the host. Further study of these relationships would clarify the mechanisms underlying metabolic surgery, make it more predictable, targeted and controlled, as well as open new therapeutic targets in the treatment of obesity and associated conditions.

This article provides a review of current literature on the effect of various doses of vitamin D on the parameters of calcium and phosphorus metabolism in patients after bariatric surgery. The decrease of bone mineral density is one of the most frequent complications of the bariatric surgery, which increases the risk of fractures. There are many different mechanisms for impaired mineral metabolism after bariatric surgery, but a decrease in the absorption of calcium and vitamin D plays a key role in this process. Vitamin D is the most important endocrine regulator of calcium homeostasis in the body, which provides the absorption of 90% of calcium in the gut. Patients with morbid obesity have a high risk of vitamin D deficiency even before surgery, which may worsen after operation and in the absence of timely treatment lead to severe disturbances of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It was found that high doses of vitamin D after bariatric surgery can improve parameters of bone metabolism, and, as a result, prevent fractures after surgery, which generally has a beneficial effect on the quality of life and labor prognosis. The results of the studies available to date open up new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of postoperative complications associated with impaired bone metabolism.

Introduction: A number of classification systems (TIRADS) have been developed to estimate the likelihood of malignancy in thyroid nodules, but their reproducibility is yet to be assessed. We evaluated the interobserver variability and diagnostic performance of the TIRADS in Kwak’s modification (Kw-TIRADS) and European TIRADS (EU-TIRADS). Methods: Two independent specialists, blinded concerning the morphology of the nodules, evaluated ultrasound images of 153 thyroid nodules identified in 149 patients at multiple time points. Results: The interobserver agreement (Cohen’s κ) was 0.52 and 0.67 for Kw-TIRADS and EU-TIRADS, respectively, and rated as substantial. There were strong correlations between Kw-TIRADS and EU-TIRADS for the two observers with Spearman’s coefficients of 0.731 (p = 0.00025) and 0.661 (p = 0.0012), respectively. Sensitivity of Kw-TIRADS for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer was 95–92.31% and that of EU-TIRADS was 92.31–89.74%, with specificity of about 60% for both TIRADS. Conclusion: Despite the wide variability in the description of single ultrasonographic features, both Kw-TIRADS and EU-TIRADS may be a useful diagnostic tool in clinical practice.

BACKGROUNDThe most of the current studies include patients who are different by the etiology of secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI), or investigate SAI among other late effects of the radiation therapy.AIMSTo describe the features of SAI and to select the best method of screening SAI in adult patients followed complex treatment of nonpituitary brain tumors in childhood.MATERIALS AND METHODSIt was the retrospective cross-sectional study. 31 patients after the complex treatment of nonpituitary brain tumors in childhood and 20 healthy volunteers were examined. Age and sex ratio were comparable between the groups. Biochemical and clinical blood tests, levels of cortisol, ACTH, DHEA-C were evaluated. The insulin tolerance test (ITT) was performed for all patients and 11 volunteers.RESULTSThe prevalence of SAI by ITT was 45.2%. The levels of basal cortisol (BC) were significantly higher in patients without SAI in comparison with the SAI group and volunteers (505 [340; 650] vs 323 [233; 382] and 372 [263; 489] nmol / l; pSAI- without_SAI=0.001; pwihtout_SAI-healthy = 0.04). The SAI group had DHEA-C significantly lower than in other groups one (3.1 [1.8; 3.4] vs 5.1 [2.5; 6.4] and 6.8 [4.1; 8.9]; рSAI- without_SAI = 0.036; pSAI-healthy = 0.001). ROC analysis showed that BC and DHEA-S can be used as high-quality screening tests for SAI (AUC = 89.3% and 88.3%). The maximum level of cortisol (656 [608-686] vs 634 [548-677]; p = 1) and the time of its increase (45 and 60 min) did not differ during ITT in patients without SAI and volunteers. Side effects: delayed hypoglycemia occurred in 4/14 patients of the SAI group 4090 minutes late of injection 60-80 ml of 40% glucose solution for stopping hypoglycemia in the test.CONCLUSIONS45.2% of patients followed craniospinal irradiation had SAI that is characterized by a decrease in DHEA-C levels. A highly normal level of basal cortisol was observed in 45% of patients without SAI. DHEA-C and blood cortisol can be used for SAI screening.

Recent studies have shown that immune system cells take an active part in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis. Disruption of the interaction between the immune system and metabolic processes makes a major contribution to the current epidemic of a number of non-communicable metabolic diseases. Due to central and peripheral insulin resistance, obesity is closely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Many mechanisms are involved in the genesis of insulin resistance including chronic inflammation in metabolically active tissues (adipose tissue, intestines, muscles, pancreas, liver), as well as in the central nervous system. Potential triggers of obesity-induced metainflammation are cellular hypoxia, mechanical stress of the fat cells, excess of free fatty acids and lypopolysaccharides. Weight loss is a key factor to eliminating inflammation and improving tissue insulin sensitivity. This review presents literature data on the mechanisms of metainflammation in obesity. Taking into account the contribution of metainflammation to the pathogenesis of the disease, the possibilities and prospects of obesity therapy are discussed.

An active discussion of TI-RADS modifications (Thyroid Imaging Reporting And Diagnostic System) classification continues in the world professional medical community. This system of thyroid nodules stratification on the malignancy signs is intended primarily to select thyroid nodules for a fine needle aspiration biopsy. The classification should be uniform for all medical institutions of our country, easy to use and understandable by various medical specialists. This article presents a modification of TI-RADS prepared for discussion in the professional communities of Russia. Some major ultrasound features of malignancy (with specificity 95%) and additional or minor features (with specificity 90%) of thyroid nodules are pointed out to emphasise the need of fine needle biopsy. After comparison of diagnostic parameters of proposed TI-RADS and European TIRADS (EU-TIRADS), both systems showed comparable specificity of 93%, while sensitivity of proposed TI-RADS was slightly higher than for EU-TIRADS, with 94.2% and 91.0%, respectively. This discrepancy may be related to minor features of malignancy which were taken into consideration.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical significance of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) circadian variability in patients with hypothyroidism.DESIGN:A total of 20 women with subclinical hypothyroidism and 22 patients taking L-thyroxine replacement therapy for hypothyroidism were enrolled in the study. Measurements of serum TSH levels were done twice a day from 08.00 to 09.00 a.m. and from 2.00 to 4.00 p.m.RESULTS:The morning median TSH value in the patients with subclinical hypothyroidism was 5.83 mU/L; in the afternoon, it was 3.79 mU/L. The range of TSH circadian variability reached the level of 73%. According to the current TSH reference interval, hypothyroidism was not diagnosed in about 50% of the cases in the afternoon. The morning median TSH value in the patients taking l-thyroxine was 3.27 mU/L; it decreased to the value of 2.18 mU/L in the afternoon. The range of TSH circadian variability reached the level of 64.7%. Further analysis demonstrated inadequate compensation of hypothyroidism, which was defined in 45.5% of the morning samples and in 9% of the afternoon samples (p < 0.05).CONCLUSION:The time of blood sampling has an important role in the interpretation of TSH levels. Moreover, the high TSH circadian variability should be considered in discussions about the narrowing of its reference range.