Although neonatal screening was begun only 20 years ago, and is consequently still in its early stages, it is already a classic example of efficient preventive pediatrics. At present, routine neonatal screening covering a satisfactory percentage of newborn babies is carried out in only a small part ofthe world. For some five diseases enough infants have been screened to give reasonably reliable information about the frequency of these diseases in various populations. Interesting differences are beginning to appear in popula tions of different ethnic and racial background. The medical importance of neonatal screening is especially obvious in metabolic diseases that are not too rare and for which effective treatment depends upon an early diagnosis, such as phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and - a more recent screening pro gram - hypothyroidism. About 1 of 4000 newborns is affected with hypothyroidism and can receive timely substitution with thyroid hormone. Of 34.5 million babies tested for phenylketonuria, 3000 cases have been diagnosed in time to prevent mental retardation by means of dietary therapy.

Congenital hypothyroidism, when undiagnosed or if there is a lack of proper treatment management, results in an unnecessary health, economic and social burden. Formalized screening programs to detect congenital hypothyroidism in newborn infants, and its timely treatment, can prevent lifelong human suffering caused by severe mental retardation. With the involvement of the IAEA, such screening programs have been introduced successfully in a large number of countries. However, in many other countries such programs have not yet been established. This publication is intended to assist these countries in establishing and sustaining a comprehensive screening system for newborns, and draws on experience gained over more than a decade. It provides information for making sound screening policy decisions and describes how a newborn screening system should be set up, offering guidance on assessing the quality of the system. The intended result is that more successful programs will be established, bringing about a significant improvement in child health care worldwide.--Publisher's description.

Responding to a renewed interest in the growing problem of iodine deficiency worldwide, Drs. Charles Oxnard and Peter Obendorf, along with experienced translator and anatomist John Dennison, take a fresh look at the classic text, Der endemische Kretinismus, published in 1936 by Springer. Translated here for the first time into English, this landmark text will be a welcome resource for researchers confronting the problem of iodine deficiency. Oxnard and Obendorf point out that there is very little detailed knowledge or numerical data on cretinism available in the English-speaking world. In addition, highly-renowned Professor Basil S. Hetzel, recently-retired World Health Organization Chairman of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, published in 2009 with Dr Chen Zu-pei on the resurgence of iodine deficiency in China. Indeed, throughout the entire developing world there may be as many as two billion people at risk to iodine deficiency; perhaps three quarters of a billion have goiter, and ten million may be cretins. Even in developed countries, iodine deficiency is re-emerging (as in New South Wales in 19% of children) with the result of significantly reduced numbers of gifted children (though this is not cretinism per se). Certain to be of significant interest to a wide range of researchers, health providers and professionals, including government health administrators, this English translation of Endemic Cretinism is a major contribution to the literature.

Clinical Management of Thyroid Disease is an exciting new book edited by Fredric Wondisford, MD—developer of the revolutionary new drug, Thyrotropin—and Sally Radovick, MD, with contributions from experts in the field. It fulfills the niche of a succinct, clinical resource to help you translate research into practice. This full-color volume offers valuable information on thyroid cancer and non-cancerous lesions, the effect of drugs on thyroid function, genetic disorders, and more in an accessible, easy-to-read consistent format. Presents the expertise of authors and editorial staff comprised of leaders in the field of thyroid research and clinical management for the best-qualified guidance on diagnosis and treatment. Provides a full-color, comprehensive approach that makes valuable information easy to locate and quick to read. Covers relevant topics applicable to all levels of training and expertise to serve as a detailed clinical reference on everything from the basic to the sophisticated. Captures research advances on hot topics such as thyroid cancer and non-cancerous lesions, the effect of drugs on thyroid function, and genetic disorders so that you can incorporate them into the way you treat patients.

Changes in the allocation of healthcare resources have raised issues related to the efficacy and outcomes of medical therapy and how such factors may be measured. The questions associated with the quality of life and functional capability of patients with chronic health conditions have been of special interest. Endocrine disorders have the potential for disrupting the general health and well-being of affected individuals and their families; thus they warrant serious attention. This symposium was convened in November 1997 at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to bring together medical, behavioral, and social scientists. The meeting fostered the presentation and discussion of the most current clinical research on the effects of various therapies on a wide range of endocrine disorders from diabetes to adrenal insufficiency and growth hormone deficiency. The participants, all noted national and international experts in their fields, focused their attention on both the biomedical value and effectiveness of treatment, as well as on the impact such treatments have on psychological states such as mood and cognition. Many presentations specifically emphasized the quality of life (QOL) indicators that now regu larly appear in many research protocols and reports. The pioneering work of two clinical researchers was a major highlight of the meeting and an Award of Recognition was presented to Robert Blizzard, M. D. , and John Money, Ph. D. , for their innovative and insightful work in pediatric endocrinology and psychosexual development.

This book is a unique in-depth and comprehensive reference that covers all surgically relevant thyroid and parathyroid diseases and presents the latest information on their management. International authorities discuss operative techniques and treatments in detail and explain the rationales for their favored approaches. The topics of this second edition include the description of surgically relevant pathologies, preoperative surgical evaluation, decision making, and operative strategies for the various thyroid and parathyroid diseases. In addition, experts present the molecular basis for thyroid neoplasia, review the current understanding of the genetics of inherited thyroid and parathyroid diseases, and discuss the management of recurrent and locally invasive thyroid cancer. Evolving modern operative techniques such as neuromonitoring and minimally invasive (videoscopic) approaches to the thyroid and parathyroids are also covered.

When the Medicare program was established in 1965, it was viewed as a form of financial protection for the elderly against catastrophic medical expenses, primarily those related to hospitalization for unexpected illnesses. The first expansions to the program increased the eligible population from the retired to the disabled and to persons receiving chronic renal dialysis. It was not until 1980 that an expansion of services beyond those required "for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member" was included in Medicare. These services, known as preventive services, are intended either to prevent disease (by vaccination) or to detect disease (by diagnostic test) before the symptoms of illness appear. A Committee was formed "to conduct a study on the addition of coverage of routine thyroid screening using a thyroid stimulating hormone test as a preventive benefit provided to Medicare beneficiaries under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act for some or all Medicare beneficiaries."

Enhance your knowledge of neonatal-perinatal medicine and/or study for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine board certification or recertification with this new study guide from the editors of NeoReviews. This new guide includes more than 1,200 questions previously published in NeoReviews from January 2007 to December 2017. Each question is followed by a short explanation of the correct answer with references, including the original article. Chapters include Cardiology Dermatology Endocrinology ENT and Ophthalmology Fluids, Electrolytes, Nutrition Gastrointestinal Genetics and Inborn Errors of Metabolism Hematology/Oncology Immunology Infectious Diseases Maternal-Fetal Medicine Neonatal Resuscitation Neurology Renal Respiratory Statistics, Research, Health Services, and Ethics