American Thyroid Association® Announces Award Recipients

American Thyroid Association awards honor clinicians, academicians with outstanding contributions to advancing thyroid research and care.

Thyroid Problems Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia

Older people with hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a study published in the July 6, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The risk of developing dementia was even higher for people whose thyroid condition required thyroid hormone replacement medication.

AI can be used to identify benign thyroid nodules and reduce unnecessary biopsies

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to identify thyroid nodules seen on thyroid ultrasound that are very unlikely to be cancerous, reducing a large number of unnecessary biopsies, according to a new study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.

Drinking coffee does not hinder the absorption of liquid thyroid medication

A new study conducted by Vertice Pharma confirms the absorption of an oral levothyroxine sodium solution (Thyquidity® 100g/ 5mL) was not affected by consuming coffee 5 minutes after the dose, according to research being presented Saturday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.

COVID-19 vaccination appears to be safe for patients treated for hypothyroidism

Inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe for patients treated for hypothyroidism,
according to a new study being presented at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga. The study found these vaccines do not cause significant fluctuations in thyroid function and are not associated with increased risks of emergency department visits or unscheduled hospitalizations.

Combination thyroid hormone therapies treat hypothyroidism as well as levothyroxine

Treatment of hypothyroidism, which results from an underactive thyroid gland, should be individualized and consideration should be given to alternatives to the first-line therapy, including desiccated thyroid extract and combination therapy to replace the body’s two main thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Results of their new randomized clinical study are being presented at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

Nearly one-third of older thyroid patients take medications that interfere with thyroid function tests

Nearly one-third of adults age 65 and older who take thyroid hormone also take medications that are known to interfere with thyroid function tests, according to a study presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

Singing a Tumor Test Song

Singing may be the next-generation, noninvasive approach to determining the health of a patient’s thyroid. When a person sings, the vibrations create waves in the tissue near the vocal tract called shear waves. If a tumor is present in the thyroid, the elasticity of its surrounding tissue increases, stiffening, and causing the shear waves to accelerate. Using ultrasound imaging to measure these waves, researchers can determine the elasticity of the thyroid tissue. They demonstrate the technique in Applied Physics Letters.

Survey finds physicians struggle to communicate positive prognosis to thyroid cancer patients

Despite excellent prognosis with most thyroid cancers, many newly diagnosed patients have cancer-related worry, and physicians vary in their responses to patients’ worry, according to new research accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

First FDA-approved drug for thyroid eye disease effective regardless of age, gender

Teprotumumab, the first FDA-approved medicine for thyroid eye disease, provides significant improvement in eye bulging, regardless of patient gender, age or smoking status, according to a study accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Cancer treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors may lead to thyroid dysfunction

Thyroid dysfunction following cancer treatment with new treatments called immune checkpoint inhibitors is more common than previously thought, according to research that was accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and will be published in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Hypothyroidism patients cite effectiveness in choosing alternative to standard therapy

Three in four hypothyroidism patients who chose desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) over the standard therapy said this option was more effective than other thyroid hormone medications, according to an analysis of comments in online patient forums accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Thyroid hormone use may raise death risk in older adults

Thyroid hormone replacement therapy in older adults is associated with a higher risk of death compared with no treatment, a large study finds. The study results were accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Virtual ENDO 2020 news conferences to highlight advances in technology, thyroid health

Researchers will discuss how artificial intelligence and drones are being incorporated into health care when they share the latest emerging science during the Endocrine Society’s ENDO 2020 virtual news conferences March 30-31.

Guidelines for Thyroid Surgery Published in Annals of Surgery

The first set of comprehensive, evidence-based clinical guidelines for surgical treatment of thyroid disease – developed by an expert panel assembled by the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) – was published today by Annals of Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal Awarded to Sissy M. Jhiang, PhD, at American Thyroid Association’s Annual Meeting

November 1, 2019—The American Thyroid Association (ATA) announces with pleasure that the 2019 John B. Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal will be awarded to Dr. Sissy M. Jhiang at the ATA Annual Meeting this week. Dr. Jhiang is the Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology at the Ohio State University (OSU), member of the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center and Graduate Faculty member for multiple graduate programs.

2019 Lewis E. Braverman Distinguished Award to Be Presented to Martha A. Zeiger, MD, at American Thyroid Association’s Annual Meeting

November 2, 2019—The American Thyroid Association (ATA) announces with pleasure that the 2019 Lewis E. Braverman Distinguished Award recipient will be Dr. Martha A. Zeiger, Director of Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.The Braverman Distinguished Award is presented annually to an individual who: demonstrates excellence and passion for mentoring fellows, students, and junior faculty; has a long history of productive thyroid research; and is devoted to the ATA.

2019 Distinguished Service Award to Be Given to Robert C. Smallridge, MD, at American Thyroid Association’s Annual Meeting

November 1, 2019—The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is pleased to announce that the Distinguished Service Award recipient will be Dr. Robert C. Smallridge. He is Professor of Medicine at Mayo Medical School and the Alfred D. and Audrey M. Petersen Professor of Cancer Research.  He is a Deputy Director in the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and has served as the Chair of the Division of Endocrinology, the Director of Research, and as a member of the  Board of Governors.

2019 Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Lectureship Award to Be Given to Bryan R. Haugen, MD at American Thyroid Association’s Annual Meeting

November 1, 2019—The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is pleased to announce that the 2019 Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Lectureship Award recipient will be Dr. Bryan R. Haugen, currently is Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Colorado Denver. He is also Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes and Director of the Thyroid Tumor Program and holds the Mary Rossick Kern and Jerome H.