Latest news with #DepartmentofEndocrinology
News18
22-05-2025
- Health
- News18
The Connection Between PCOS and Thyroid Disorders
Last Updated: PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can lead to frustrating symptoms like irregular periods, unwanted hair growth, acne, and sometimes challenges with conception. Ever feel like your body's playing a confusing game with your hormones? If you're experiencing symptoms like irregular periods, persistent acne, increased body hair growth, or difficulty conceiving, you could be dealing with a hormonal imbalance like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid dysfunction, which are common partners-in-crime for many women. To get the correct diagnosis, it's important to understand how these conditions are connected. Dr. Pramila Kalra, HOD & Consultant, Department of Endocrinology, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, shares all you need to know: How PCOS and Thyroid Disorders Are Linked PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can lead to frustrating symptoms like irregular periods, unwanted hair growth (often on the face or chest), acne, and sometimes challenges with conception. Thyroid disorders, especially an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), are often caused by autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis — where antibodies attack the thyroid — a condition more common in women. If you have PCOS, you're significantly more likely to also have a thyroid issue. Sometimes, this thyroid issue can be subclinical, meaning it's a mild impairment that may not present typical symptoms but still interferes with hormonal balance. An underactive thyroid can throw off the hormones that regulate your ovaries. When your thyroid isn't functioning properly, your body may produce more Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and another hormone called prolactin. This disrupts the delicate balance of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) — crucial players in your monthly cycle. When this balance is disturbed, ovulation can stop, and ovarian cysts (a hallmark of PCOS) may form or worsen. Insulin resistance — where the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin — is a common feature of both PCOS and hypothyroidism. When both conditions coexist, the level of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia (such as elevated cholesterol) is often greater than in PCOS alone. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy for hypothyroidism has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and correct other metabolic disturbances in patients with concurrent PCOS. If you're juggling both PCOS and hypothyroidism, you may face a tougher battle with insulin resistance and notice higher cholesterol levels. Treating hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone replacement can help improve your body's insulin response and ease other metabolic abnormalities. Why a Thorough Check-Up Is Crucial Given the symptomatic overlap between PCOS and thyroid disorders — such as menstrual irregularities and ovarian cysts — thyroid function assessment is a critical step before confirming a PCOS diagnosis. Diagnostic investigations typically include blood hormone level analysis (including thyroid hormones), serum testosterone, DHEAS levels, and ultrasonography of the ovaries and thyroid gland. Accurate differentiation and diagnosis are essential to ensure women receive appropriate and targeted treatment for all coexisting conditions. Before a PCOS diagnosis is confirmed, a thorough thyroid function check (usually a simple blood test) is essential. Additionally, evaluating other hormone levels is important to rule out disorders that may mimic PCOS. First Published: May 22, 2025, 16:26 IST
Medscape
20-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Surgery Treats Hypertension in Patients With Adrenal Tumours
In patients with unilateral adrenal incidentalomas and mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS), adrenalectomy was well tolerated and enabled a reduction or cessation of hypertensive treatment while maintaining blood pressure within normal ranges. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted this clinical trial in university hospitals across Europe to assess the effect of adrenalectomy on hypertension in patients with unilateral benign adrenal incidentalomas and MACS. They enrolled patients with a unilateral adrenal adenoma (≥ 2 cm) and MACS, in whom hypertension was confirmed through multiple home blood pressure measurements; a standardised stepped-care antihypertensive treatment was implemented until the measurements normalised to less than 135/85 mm Hg. A total of 52 patients (median age, 63.3 years; 69% women) were then randomly assigned to either undergo adrenalectomy or receive conservative management and were followed up for 13 months; after randomisation, antihypertensive medications were adjusted on the basis of the stepped-care treatment approach. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients in each group who reduced their antihypertensive treatment by at least one step while maintaining normal home blood pressure measurements (< 135/85 mm Hg). TAKEAWAY: A higher proportion of patients in the adrenalectomy group were able to reduce antihypertensive treatment by at least one step while maintaining normal home blood pressure measurements than those in the conservative management group (46% vs 15%; adjusted risk difference, 0.34; P = .0038). = .0038). Among the patients who underwent adrenalectomy, more than half (52%) were able to discontinue all antihypertensive medications while maintaining normal systolic home blood pressure measurements (< 135 mm Hg); however, none of the patients achieved this after conservative management. Serious adverse events were reported in 35% of patients who underwent adrenalectomy and 31% of those who received conservative management, with no deaths reported in either group. IN PRACTICE: "For individuals with hypertension and clear biochemical evidence of MACS, especially those with larger adrenal adenomas, this study helps support the case for adrenalectomy," experts wrote in a commentary. SOURCE: This study was led by Antoine Tabarin, MD, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism and Nutrition, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France. It was published online on May 12, 2025, in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology . LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by a small sample size. The criteria used for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency might have led to the overdiagnosis and potential overtreatment of patients. The findings cannot be extrapolated to patients with bilateral adrenal incidentalomas and MACS. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by a grant from the French Ministry of Health, and the German part of the study was additionally supported by the German Research Foundation. Some authors reported receiving honoraria, research grants, and support for attending meetings and having several other ties with various pharmaceutical companies and other sources.
