IBSA supports the 2021 International Thyroid Awareness Week, dedicated to the relationship between COVID-19 and endocrine diseases

IBSA is among the main supporters of the International Thyroid Awareness Week 2021, which will take place from the 24th to 30th of May. The goal is to raise awareness among the population on the importance of pathologies related to the thyroid gland. This initiative enjoys the support of both national and international endocrinological scientific societies.
The attention paid to the thyroid derives from the great importance that this gland has within the endocrine system, as it performs a series of fundamental functions for the physiological well-being of the body. Over six million Italians suffer from disorders of various nature that derive from an incorrect functioning of the thyroid gland. This year, with the patronage of the National Institute of Health (ISS), the main theme of the Week is "Thyroid and COVID Pandemic".
While remembering that the main objective of the Week is to inform the population about the different problems and prevention methods related to thyroid diseases, the current historical context raises many questions to people with thyroid diseases.
"The quality of the relationship and communication between doctor and patient is a factor of great importance whilst directing the diagnostic and therapeutic process, as well as for the success of the treatment" says Anna Maria Biancifiori, President of the Endocrine Patient Associations (EPAC) Committee.
Celestino Pio Lombardi, President of the Italian Unitary Society of Endocrine Surgery (IUSES), underlines instead the difficulties encountered during the therapeutic path of patients in the pandemic period: "The fear of 'going to the hospital', the contingency of appointments and, in many cases, the temporary suspension of services. The transformation of hospitalization wards into ‘COVID’ units and the lengthening of the time - often required - to perform thyroidectomy operations must be considered as well”.

There is also another area that should not be underestimated in the current context: the identification of diseases of the thyroid gland associated with Coronavirus positivity, which attributes to the patient the status of "fragile patient". For the attribution of this condition, the age group also deserves particular attention. In the pediatric population, based on the data processed so far, there is no significant correlation between virus positivity and previous thyroid pathologies, nor a worse prognosis in case of infection. On the other hand, there is a very different approach when it comes to the older population segment. Here, the data shows that, among the patients hospitalized for COVID, more than 50% are also affected by thyroid diseases.

"For IBSA, the treatment of thyroid pathologies is a real challenge - says Marialuisa Fino, Senior Product Manager for Endocrinology - and that is why we continue to invest in research and people, in order to increasingly improve the quality of life of patients".

For more information visit the website www.latiroide.it.