James talks to Professor Ian Caterson about an approach to thyroid disease.
Summary Writer: Elizabeth Campbell
Editor: James Edwards
Interviewee: Ian Caterson
Ian Caterson is currently Foundation Director of the Boden Institute of Obesity Nutrition Exercise and Eating Disorders and Boden Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Sydney. He has held the latter position since 1997. Prior to that, he was Senior Staff Specialist and Director of Clinical Endocrinology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
He has been president of both the Australian Diabetes Society and the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity and is president elect of the World Obesity Federation.
Ian is a recognised expert on obesity, its causes, prevention and management. He is on the Clinical Care group of World Obesity, Chairs the Expert Obesity Committee for the Australian National Preventive Health Agency and is on the Prevention and Community Health Committee of the NHMRC of Australia.
With Professor Ian Caterson, Consultant Endocrinologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, Australia
Thyroid function tests are commonly ordered by junior doctors. Thyroid disease is common, and it is appropriate to order thyroid function tests in patients with known thyroid disease during a hospital admission. In clinical situations where you are worried that a patient may have hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or where there is an obvious goitre, it is also appropriate to arrange thyroid function tests.
A 40-year-old female admitted with ischaemic chest pain mentions she has gained weight and felt fatigued recently. Thyroid function tests show an elevated TSH and a low T4.
A 70-year-old man in ICU with severe pneumonia has thyroid function tests which show a low T3 and TSH.
A 50-year-old woman presents to ED with palpitations and tremor. She has noticed weight loss and a swelling in her neck recently.
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