HEALTH NEWS

A small but significant percentage (6%) of patients with Graves’ disease show elevated plasma levels of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4), suggesting the presence of a novel subtype of the disease, according to a new study presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association.
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has endorsed miltefosine capsules for the treatment of visceral, cutaneous, and mucosal leishmaniasis. The manufacturer’s proposed indication for the oral miltefosine capsules is for children and adults aged 12 years and older who weigh 30 kg or more.
A test that looks at gene mutations and microRNA (miRNA) in indeterminate thyroid nodules may help clarify which patients need surgery, according to a new study presented at the American Thyroid Association meeting. In a small study, known mutations associated with thyroid cancer correctly identified 58% of cancerous thyroid biopsies, but sensitivity rose to 81% when miRNA expression analysis was included.
In an analysis of Danish national data, infants born to mothers taking propylthiouracil (PTU) early in pregnancy had about a 50% higher risk of birth defects, and those taking methimazole (MMI) had a 75% greater risk than children born to women in the general population not taking the drug, Peter Laurberg, MD, of Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues reported at the American Thyroid Association meeting.
Patients whose weight falls into a higher category of body mass index (BMI) and obesity have an increased risk for multiple chronic diseases, according to a study published online October 16 in Family Practice. Younger people who are obese have similar chronic disease profiles as older, nonobese people.