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Near-infrared irradiation of the thyroid area: effects on weight development and thyroid and parathyroid secretory patterns

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Abstract

This study evaluates possible changes in weight and the secretory patterns of the thyroid and parathyroid glands irradiated with a 780-nm light-emitting diode (LED) source under conditions allowing their identification in an animal model. The use of near-infrared light sources to detect the parathyroid glands has been a subject of research due to the benefit provided to patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid surgery. However, few studies have explored possible changes in weight and the secretory patterns of the glands when subjected to light stimulation. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into two groups and subjected to cervical dissection and irradiation of the thyroid-parathyroid region under general anesthesia. The animals in group 1 (irradiated) were exposed to a 780-nm LED light beam for 180 s (dose 1.37 J/cm2), whereas the animals in group 2 (control) were not irradiated. Blood samples were collected pre-exposure, 7 min after exposure, and 30 and 60 days after exposure to measure calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in both groups. Weight variations between the evaluation periods were also analyzed. Parametric statistics were used (Student’s t test and ANOVA) after assuming normal distribution of continuous variables with the Shapiro-Wilk test. No significant variation was observed in any of the analyzed parameters pre- and postexposure. A significant increase in the calcium level was observed at 30 days in the irradiated group compared with that in the control group (11.156 ± 1.31 mg/dl vs 10.300 ± 0.30 mg/dl; df = 30 p < 0.03) but this change was no longer observed at 60 days (9.925 ± 0.23 mg/dl vs 10.014 ± 0.18 mg/dl; df = 14 p = 0.21). Irradiated rats gained less weight in the first 30 days after surgery (39.647 ± 32.39 vs 55.917 ± 22.61; df = 30 p = 0.146) and at 60 days (84.000 ± 27.36 vs 84.571 ± 5.62; df = 14 p = 0.957), no differences were observed between the two groups. No significant variations in weight development or changes in the secretory patterns of the thyroid and parathyroid glands exposed to near-infrared stimulation were observed, confirming the safety of this light source in the identification of the parathyroid glands.

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Acknowledgments

This study would not have been possible without the collaboration of Dr. Joaquim Machado Caetano, Dr. Sofia Jorge, and the technicians at Laboratório Affidea who conducted the laboratory analyses of all the animals. At the UBI vivarium, we received indispensable help from the technicians Maria João and Maria José with blood collection and surgery as well as with the care and maintenance of the animals.

We had also the collaboration of Professors Graça Baltazar and Manuel Lemos and Drs. Maria do Rosário Custódio, António Gomes and Sílvia Silva.

We express our gratitude to all who helped with this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CICS – Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Carlos Serra & Luís Silveira

  2. Hospital dos SAMS, Lisboa, Portugal

    Carlos Serra

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  1. Carlos Serra
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  2. Luís Silveira
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Correspondence to Carlos Serra.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the ethical commission of the Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade da Beira Interior- Portugal (CE-FCS-2014-022) and by Direcção-geral de Agricultura e Veterinária (0421/000/000/2018), and performed respecting the principles of European Directive 2010/63/EU.

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Serra, C., Silveira, L. Near-infrared irradiation of the thyroid area: effects on weight development and thyroid and parathyroid secretory patterns. Lasers Med Sci 35, 107–114 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-019-02800-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-019-02800-w

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