Biomedical subjects
L Foster
Publications and source records attributed to L Foster.
Thyroid function tests in elderly hyperthyroid patients.
Several tests of thyroid function were performed in 35 hyperthyroid patients over the age of 65 (elderly). The results were compared to those of similar tests in 48 hyperthyroid patients under the age of 65 (young). Total serum thyroxine (T4) was within the normal range in 14 percent of the elderly and 11 percent of the young hyperthyroid patients. The free thyroxine index (FTI) was within the normal range in 11 percent of both groups. The triiodothyronine uptake (T3U) proved to be a poor test in both groups. Although elevation of the triiodothyronine (T3) level allowed a diagnosis of "T3-toxicosis" in 2 elderly and 3 young hyperthyroid patients, the T3 level was normal in 34 percent of the elderly and 13 percent of the young subjects. Correction of the T3 range for age reduced the number of normal T3 values to 12.5 percent in the elderly hyperthyroid patients. The 24-hour uptake of radioactive iodine was normal in 12 percent of the young hyperthyroid patients, 27 percent of the elderly patients with Graves' disease, and 70 percent of the elderly patients with toxic nodular goiter, despite recent readjustment of the normal range for the test. It is concluded that the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in the elderly may be difficult and that no single test can be relied upon to exclude the diagnosis.
An account by a dialysis patient. Man and machine: life without kidneys.
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Carcinoembryonic antigen-positive metastatic adenocarcinoma of the choroid. A case report.
Plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were found to be elevated in a 62-year-old woman who came to us with a diffuse choroidal mass in the left eye. Although a metastatic tumor was suspected clinically, a thorough medical evaluation failed to detect a primary lesion and the eye was enucleated. The histologic diagnosis was metastatic adenocarcinoma. On immunohistologic assay, the choridal metastases stained positively for CEA. We believe this to be the first CEA-positive intraocular tumor to be reported.