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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the delivery of care and timing of elective surgical procedures. Most endocrine-related operations were considered elective and safe to postpone, providing a unique opportunity to assess clinical outcomes under protracted treatment plans.MethodsAmerican Association of Endocrine Surgeon members were surveyed for participation. A Research Electronic Data Capture survey was developed and distributed to 27 institutions to assess the impact of COVID-19-related delays. The information collected included patient demographics, primary diagnosis, resumption of care, and assessment of disease progression by the surgeon.ResultsTwelve out of 27 institutions completed the survey (44.4%). Of 850 patients, 74.8% (636) were female; median age was 56 (interquartile range, 44-66) years. Forty percent (34) of patients had not been seen since their original surgical appointment was delayed; 86.2% (733) of patients had a delay in care with women more likely to have a delay (87.6% vs 82.2% of men, χ2 = 3.84, P = .05). Median duration of delay was 70 (interquartile range, 42-118) days. Among patients with a delay in care, primary disease site included thyroid (54.2%), parathyroid (37.2%), adrenal (6.5%), and pancreatic/gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (1.3%). In addition, 4.0% (26) of patients experienced disease progression and 4.1% (24) had a change from the initial operative plan. The duration of delay was not associated with disease progression (P = .96) or a change in operative plan (P = .66).ConclusionAlthough some patients experienced disease progression during COVID-19 delays to endocrine disease-related care, most patients with follow-up did not. Our analysis indicated that temporary delay may be an acceptable course of action in extreme circumstances for most endocrine-related surgical disease.

BackgroundThis study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on endocrine surgeons.MethodsA survey on the professional, educational, and clinical impact was sent to active and corresponding members of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) in September 2020. Chi-square and paired t-test were used for analysis.Results77 surgeons responded (14.8 %). All reported suspension of elective surgeries; 37.7 % were reassigned to other duties during this time. The median number of cases backlogged was 30 (IQR 15-50). Most surgeons reported decreased clinical volume (74.6 %). The use of virtual platforms for clinical and educational purposes increased from pre-COVID-19 levels (all p

Context There are differences in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for thyroid between racial and ethnic groups that contribute to disparities. Identifying these differences and their causes are the key to understanding and reducing disparities in presentation and outcomes in endocrine disorders. Evidence Acquisition The present study reviews original studies identifying and exploring differences between benign and malignant thyroid diseases. A PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus search was conducted for English-language studies using the terms " thyroid ," " thyroid disease ," " thyroid cancer ," " race ," " ethnicity ," and " disparities " from inception to December 31, 2022. Evidence Synthesis Many racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis, presentation, treatment, and outcomes of thyroid disease were found. Non-White patients are more likely to have a later time to referral, to present with more advanced disease, to have more aggressive forms of thyroid cancer, and are less likely to receive the appropriate treatment than White patients. Overall and disease-specific survival rates are lower in Black and Hispanic populations when compared to White patients. Conclusions Extensive disparities exist in thyroid disease diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes that may have been overlooked. Further work is needed to identify the causes of these disparities to begin to work toward equity in the care of thyroid disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Up to 45% of patients may have persistently elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels after curative parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), although the clinical significance is unclear. We aimed to assess the long‐term clinical significance of persistently elevated PTH early after parathyroidectomy.A prospectively collected institutional database was queried for patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for sporadic PHPT between 12/99 and 6/22 and had normal serum calcium levels at 6 months postoperatively. Demographic and clinical data were collected, including diagnoses associated with secondary HPT (gastrointestinal malabsorptive diseases, kidney disease, and vitamin D deficiency). Patients were divided into two groups: normal PTH or elevated PTH at 6 months postoperatively. The rate of persistently elevated PTH, average time to PTH normalization, and time to recurrence were determined.The final cohort included 1146 patients; 849 (91%) had normal PTH levels and 194 (17%) had early postoperative normocalcemia with elevated PTH at 6 months postoperatively. Among 194 patients (mean follow‐up: 50 ± 53 months), 14 (7.2%) developed recurrent pHPT and 86 (44.3%) had normalization of PTH levels (median time to normalization: 12 months) (IQR: 9 and 15). There was no difference in the presence of diagnoses associated with secondary HPT between patients who had recurrent PHPT, normalization of PTH levels, or remained normocalcemic with persistently elevated PTH levels. The median time to recurrence was 22 months (IQR: 11 and 48) for the 7.2% of patients who developed recurrent PHPT compared to 2.4% in the 849 patients with normal calcium and PTH levels at 6 months (p < 0.001).Following curative parathyroidectomy, persistent elevation of PTH levels is not uncommon. Although most patients have a durable cure, it may be an early sign of persistent/recurrent PHPT. Long‐term surveillance for recurrence is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]