Most Cited Articles

Most Cited Articles (Vol. 68)

August 2023


1st

Effect of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the lifestyle and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-section and retrospective cohort study

Chihiro Munekawa, Yukako Hosomi, Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Takuro Okamura, Fuyuko Takahashi, Rena Kawano, Hanako Nakajima, Takafumi Osaka, Hiroshi Okada, Saori Majima, Takafumi Senmaru, Naoko Nakanishi, Emi Ushigome, Masahide Hamaguchi, Masahiro Yamazaki, Michiaki Fukui

Vol 68 No. 2

Abstract
To investigate the acute effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the lifestyle and metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellites. This cross-sectional and retrospective cohort study induced 203 patients who completed a questionnaire regarding stress levels and lifestyles. Data regarding stress levels, sleep time, exercise, and total diet, snack, and prepared food intake were obtained from the questionnaires. The changes in the body weight or HbA1c levels were determined by comparing the values at the time the questionnaire was administered to those noted 3 months ago. Increased levels of stress and decreased exercise levels were reported in approximately 40% and >50%. During the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a negative correlation between stress and exercise (r = –0.285, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between stress and prepared food intake (r = 0.193, p = 0.009). Decreased exercise levels (r = –0.33, p < 0.001) and increased snack consumption (r = 0.24, p = 0.002) were associated with increased body weight. Furthermore, increased total diet intake (r = 0.16, p = 0.031) was associated with increased HbA1c levels. These relationships remained significant for patients aged <65 years and patients who did not engage in regular exercise. Many patients experienced stress and lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and these changes were associated with increased body weight and HbA1c levels.


2nd

Distinct clinical features and prognosis between persistent and temporary thyroid dysfunctions by immune-checkpoint inhibitors

Hidefumi Inaba, Hiroyuki Ariyasu, Hiroshi Iwakura, Chiaki Kurimoto, Ken Takeshima, Shuhei Morita, Hiroto Furuta, Muneki Hotomi, Takashi Akamizu

Vol 68 No. 2

Abstract
Immune-related adverse events in the thyroid glands (thyroid irAEs) during treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are most frequent endocrine irAE. Thyroid irAE can be divided into that requiring continuous therapy for thyroid dysfunction (P-THY), and that requiring only temporal treatment (T-THY). However, predictive factors for those differential outcomes are unknown, and susceptibility of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) to thyroid irAE has never been investigated. This study aimed to elucidate clinical courses and prognosis of P-THY in comparison with T-THY in the aspect of thyroid immunity and HLA. Patients with P-THY (n = 15) that required L-T4 supplemental therapy for hypothyroidism for more than 3 months, and patients with T-THY who required no therapy or therapy within 1 month were enrolled in the study. Lower-value of TSH, higher-value of FT4, and lower value of TSH/FT4 were thought to be predictive markers to estimate P-THY. In addition, anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) levels were significantly higher in patients with P-THY than those in patients with T-THY. HLA-DPA1*01:03 and HLA-DPB1*02:01 allele, and their haplotype frequencies were significantly higher in patients with P-THY than those in controls. P-THY had better survival rate than T-THY. Pre-existing thyroid autoimmunity, the extent of thyroid dysfunction, and predisposing HLA were associated with the differential course of thyroid irAEs. It was suggested that thyroid function tests, TgAb, and HLA typing tests are useful for prediction of clinical course in thyroid irAEs.


3rd

Thyroid complications of SARS and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Gábor Speer, Péter Somogyi

Vol 68 No. 2

Abstract
We have reviewed the available literature on thyroid diseases and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and data from the previous coronavirus pandemic, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic. We learned that both SARS and COVID-19 patients had thyroid abnormalities. In the limited number of SARS cases, where it was examined, decreased serum T3, T4 and TSH levels were detected. In a study of survivors of SARS approximately 7% of the patients had hypothyroidism. In the previous evaluation evidence was found that pituitary function was also affected in SARS. Others suggested a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction. One result published recently indicates that a primary injury to the thyroid gland itself may play a key role in the pathogenesis of thyroid disorders in COVID-19 patients, too. Subacute thyroiditis, autoimmune thyroiditis and an atypical form of thyroiditis are complications of COVID-19. Thyroid hormone dysfunction affects the outcome by increasing mortality in critical illnesses like acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is a leading complication in COVID-19. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is a membrane-bound enzyme, which is also expressed in the thyroid gland and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses it for docking, entering as well as replication. Based on the available results obtained in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, beside others, we suggest that it is necessary to monitor thyroid hormones in COVID-19.

Most Cited Articles (Vol. 67)

August 2023


1st

Effect of oral administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide on clinical parameters and nicotinamide metabolite levels in healthy Japanese men

Junichiro Irie, Emi Inagaki, Masataka Fujita, Hideaki Nakaya, Masanori Mitsuishi, Shintaro Yamaguchi, Kazuya Yamashita, Shuhei Shigaki, Takashi Ono, Hideo Yukioka, Hideyuki Okano, Yo-ichi Nabeshima, Shin-ichiro Imai, Masato Yasui, Kazuo Tsubota, Hiroshi Itoh

Vol 67 No. 2

Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that decline in cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels causes aging-related disorders and therapeutic approaches increasing cellular NAD+ prevent these disorders in animal models. The administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to mitigate aging-related dysfunctions. However, the safety of NMN in humans have remained unclear. We, therefore, conducted a clinical trial to investigate the safety of single NMN administration in 10 healthy men. A single-arm non-randomized intervention was conducted by single oral administration of 100, 250, and 500 mg NMN. Clinical findings and parameters, and the pharmacokinetics of NMN metabolites were investigated for 5 h after each intervention. Ophthalmic examination and sleep quality assessment were also conducted before and after the intervention. The single oral administrations of NMN did not cause any significant clinical symptoms or changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. Laboratory analysis results did not show significant changes, except for increases in serum bilirubin levels and decreases in serum creatinine, chloride, and blood glucose levels within the normal ranges, independent of the dose of NMN. Results of ophthalmic examination and sleep quality score showed no differences before and after the intervention. Plasma concentrations of N-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide and N-methyl-4-pyridone-5-carboxamide were significantly increased dose-dependently by NMN administration. The single oral administration of NMN was safe and effectively metabolized in healthy men without causing any significant deleterious effects. Thus, the oral administration of NMN was found to be feasible, implicating a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate aging-related disorders in humans.


2nd

The revised clinical practice guidelines on the management of thyroid tumors by the Japan Associations of Endocrine Surgeons: Core questions and recommendations for treatments of thyroid cancer

Yasuhiro Ito, Naoyoshi Onoda, Takahiro Okamoto

Vol 67 No. 7

Abstract
The Japan Associations of Endocrine Surgeons has developed the revised version of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Thyroid Tumors. This article describes the guidelines translated into English for the 35 clinical questions relevant to the therapeutic management of thyroid cancers. The objective of the guidelines is to improve health-related outcomes in patients with thyroid tumors by enabling users to make their practice evidence-based and by minimizing any variations in clinical practice due to gaps in evidential knowledge among physicians. The guidelines give representative flow-charts on the management of papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, along with recommendations for clinical questions by presenting evidence on the relevant outcomes including benefits, risks, and health conditions from patients’ perspective. Therapeutic actions were recommended or not recommended either strongly (◎◎◎ or XXX) based on good evidence (😊)/good expert consensus (+++), or weakly (◎, ◎◎ or X, XX) based on poor evidence (😣)/poor expert consensus (+ or ++). Only 10 of the 51 recommendations given in the guidelines were supported by good evidence, whereas 35 were supported by good expert consensus. While implementing the current guidelines would be of help to achieve the objective, we need further clinical research to make our shared decision making to be more evidence-based.


2nd

A nationwide survey of adrenal incidentalomas in Japan: the first report of clinical and epidemiological features

Takamasa Ichijo, Hajime Ueshiba, Hajime Nawata, Toshihiko Yanase

Vol 67 No. 2

Abstract
The aim of this study was to reveal clear epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of incidentally discovered adrenal masses, termed adrenal incidentalomas (AIs), and to establish appropriate managemental and therapeutic regimens in Japan. This study had been originally carried out as a project of a research proposed on behalf of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, from 1999 to 2004. This nationwide multicenter study on AIs included 3,672 cases with clinically diagnosed AIs, involving 1,874 males and 1,738 females, with mean age 58.1 ± 13.0 years (mean ± SD). In the present study, we focused on the investigation of the real prevalence of various adrenal disorders with AI. The mean nodule size of AI based on computed tomography was 3.0 ± 2.0 cm. Compared to non-functioning adenomas (NFAs), tumor diameters were significantly larger in adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs), pheochromocytomas, cortisol-producing adenomas (CPAs), myelolipomas, metastatic tumors, cysts, and ganglioneuromas (p < 0.01). Endocrinological evaluations demonstrated that 50.8% of total AIs were non-functioning adenomas, while 10.5%, including 3.6% with subclinical Cushing’s syndrome, were reported as CPAs, 8.5% as pheochromocytomas, and 5.1% as aldosterone-producing adenomas. ACCs were accounted for 1.4% (50 cases) among our series of AIs. In conclusion, while almost 50 % of AIs are non-functional adenomas, we must be particularly careful as AIs include pheochromocytomas or adrenal carcinomas, because they may be asymptomatic. To our knowledge, this is the first and the largest investigation of AI, thus providing basic information for the establishment of clinical guidelines for the management of AI.