Pierre-Pascal De Nayer

Nutritional status and endemic goitre.

Biochemical indices of thyroid function and serum-retinol levels in adult goitrous patients from an endemic area in Senegal were compared with those of non-goitrous controls from an area in which goitre was not endemic. The findings (reduced thyroid-binding proteins and reduced serum-retionol levels) could be accounted for by protein malnutrition. They also showed that in goitrous and malnourished patients, the feedback regulation of thyrotropic hormone is governed more by thyroxine than by triiodothyronine and that in such patients serum thyroxine is better than serum triiodothyronine as an indicator of thyroid function.

Indium-111 Leucocyte Scanning in the Evaluation of Painful Hip Arthroplasty

Thirty patients with a painful hip arthroplasty had an In-111 leucocyte scan before surgical reexploration. In 12 patients, the In-111 leucocyte scan was abnormal and in all of them, microorganisms were found at the culture of the material from their hips at the operation. Among the 18 patients with a normal scan no infection was found in 17. In one patient, a thick-walled abscess growing Escherichia coli was found. We conclude that In-111 scanning is sensitive, specific and therefore useful in the differential diagnosis of pain after hip arthroplasty.

Massive Bone Allografts in Large Skeletal Defects After Tumor Surgery - a Clinical and Microradiographic Evaluation

SummaryMassive deep-frozen bone allografts were implanted in 13 patients after en bloc tumor resection. Patients were followed up for 14 months to 17 years. Most of the reconstructive procedures included a segmental bone allograft with knee or ankle fusion. Graft infections were the most critical complications in regard to the end results, finally requiring amputation in two cases. There were three stress fractures; two of which were successfully treated without further complication. Graft incorporation was assessed by bone scintimetry in four cases. Isotope uptake by the center of the graft was found to be superior to control bone segments at only 15 years after surgery. Two recovered allograft specimens were available for a microradiographic study. Creeping substitution was a very slow process, initiated at the outer surface of the graft and characterized at 2–3 years after implantation by large, incompletely filled osteons. The present investigation demonstrates that massive bone allografts are very slowly revascularized and are intimately anchored by the host bone. Provided that tumor control is effective and graft infection is avoided, reconstructive surgery with massive bone allografts represents a successful alternative to prosthetic implants in young adults with a long life expectancy.

Serum thyroglobulin levels in preterm neonates

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels were determined in preterm neonates. Very high values were found at birth. A significant negative correlation was observed between Tg levels and gestational age. A longitudinal study indicates that a very sharp decrease in Tg levels occurred after birth. Three weeks after birth, the values were close to the values of full‐term neonates. These high hTg values could result either from an increased turnover of hTg or from a lower clearance rate of this iodoprotein.

Hyperthyroxinemia Associated With High Thyroxine Binding To Albumin in Euthyroid Subjects

Hyperthyroxinemia, and a high free-T4 index (calculated from T4 levels and T3 Resin uptake), was observed in an euthyroid boy. Thyroxine-binding globulin and prealbumin levels were normal. Direct assay of free-T4 yielded a normal value. Upon electrophoretic separation of a serum sample enriched with labeled T4 abnormal binding of T4 was detected in the albumin fraction. This binding was sensitive to barbital, and affected T3 to a lesser degree than T4. The excessive binding of T4 to albumin accounts for the normal free-T4 levels in the presence of increased total T4 concentration. Two additional cases of abnormal binding of T4 to albumin were detected in the family of the propositus. The correct evaluation of the thyroid status of these subjects should be important to prevent a misdiagnosis of hyperthyroidism

Familial Dysalbuminemic Hyperthyroxinemia (fdh) - Inadequacy of the Analog Methods for Assaying Free-t4 Levels

Free-T4 levels were determined in familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia (FDH) subjects. In agreement with their euthyroid status free-T4 levels were within the normal range when tested by equilibrium dialysis and by the FT4 Immophase method (Corning Medical). However, when using the recently introduced “analog” methods, either Amerlex FT4 or Becton-Dickinson FT4, Free-T4 values were markedly higher than the control values. This discrepancy is probably due to artifactual binding of the labeled analog to the fraction of albumin exhibiting an excessive affinity for T4.

Bone Injury and Late Giant-cell Tumor Occurrence - a Possible Relation - a Case-report

A giant-cell tumor of the upper end of the fibula, five years after a documented bone injury at the same site is reported. The histologic diagnosis was corroborated by the patients age, tumor localization, radiologic and pathologic aspects. The role of a bone injury as a promoting factor in the development of this tumor is discussed. The tumoral occurrence as a reactive process to trauma in this case may not be ruled out.

Effect of Chromatin Associated Factors On the Activity of Thyroid-hormone Receptors in Rat-liver and Brain

Abstract Receptors for thyroid hormones were extracted by 0.4 M KCl from the nuclei of rat liver and brain, and their binding properties compared to the properties of these receptors in unextracted nuclear suspensions. The inhibititory effect of a non-iodinated thyroid hormone analogue, 3,5,dimethyl-3′-isopropyl-l-thyronine (DIMIT) on [ 125 I]-T 3 binding was observed in the nuclear suspension of brain, but absent when the solubilized receptors of the same organ were tested. The initial properties of the receptor could be restored in a system containing the receptor and the extracted chromatin. Moreover, when the liver solubilized receptor was supplemented with the brain chromatin extract, the hepatic receptor acquired the binding ability of the brain receptors. The data suggest that chromatin associated components may confer organ specificity in thyroid hormone effects, and play a role in the selectivity of the recognition of thyroid hormone analogues by the receptor.