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Have you asked your endocrinologist about the American Thyroid Association's new guidelines for the management of hyperthyroidism?

“These ATA guidelines, written by an international and multidisciplinary task force, provide a significant update compared to the previous version published in 2011 because they integrate recent studies and developments in practice trends,” says Peter A. Kopp, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Thyroid and Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.

Task force chair Douglas Ross, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA notes, “Some of the highlights of the 2016 guidelines are the changing paradigms for the evaluation and management of Graves’ disease with more reliance upon the measurement of thyrotropin receptor antibodies, new approaches for managing hyperthyroid patients desiring pregnancy, new approaches in the management of calcium metabolism prior to thyroid surgery, and a critical re-evaluation of the long-term toxicity of antithyroid drugs.”

Concerned about low energy?...Memory loss?...Fatigue?...Depression? … Rapid heartbeat?…Restlessness?…Infertility?... Weight or hair changes?… A lump on your neck?... Could it be your thyroid?

The American Thyroid Association and the ATA Alliance for Patient Education (including the GDATF) will host a special patient forum in Denver, CO on Saturday, September 24 from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm Denver, Colorado. Location: Governor’s Square 14 Room, Plaza Building, Concourse Level Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel 1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202.  This program is free and all are welcome, including walk-in-attendees; however, reservations are encouraged to ensure we have enough seating. To RSVP, please e-mail ThyCa at [email protected]  To view the meeting flyer, please click here.

LA BioMed is currently recruiting individuals aged 18-64 with a diagnosis of Graves' disease who are not currently on methimazole or PTU for a clinical trial testing an experimental immunologic therapy. Individuals who qualify will be financially compensated for their time. Interested individuals should contact the Thyroid Research Unit at LA BioMed at (310) 222-8172. For more information, visit clinicaltrials.gov and enter the following trial identifier in the search box: NCT02713256.

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism outside the United States, while Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause within the United States. HealthDay recently described two interesting cases of iodine deficiency in children who were following restricted diets that did not include gluten, dairy, or iodized salt.  Click here to read more.

A small study out of Romania found that methimazole may normalize liver function tests in patients with hyperthyroidism. This isn't a surprise, as hyperthyroidism itself can cause liver issues; however, liver issues can also be a side effect of anti-thyroid medications. Current medical guidelines recommend running a baseline liver function test at diagnosis and avoiding ATD treatment if liver enzymes are elevated to more than 5x the upper limit of normal.  Click here to read more.