Factors Associated with the Occurrence of Thyroid Nodules in Severely Obese Patients: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background:The association of obesity with the occurrence of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer has been demonstrated. However, there is limited knowledge on the risk factors of thyroid nodules in in severely obese patients. The aim was to evaluate the occurrence of thyroid nodules in severely obese and nonobese patients and determine the factors associated considering sociodemographic, lifestyle, and biochemical variables.Methods:This is a case-control study of 134 adults which 67 nonobese, control group, and 67 severely obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2), case group. All participants underwent thyroid ultrasound.Results:The occurrence of thyroid nodules in a control group was 13.4% (n = 9), while in a case group was 29.9%, n = 20), difference statistically significant (p = 0.017). Factors associated with the occurrence of thyroid nodules in severely obese patients were lower mean age (p = 0.022); higher economic class (p = 0.010); nonconsumption of alcohol (p = 0.017); higher fasting glycemia (p = 0.009), fasting insulin (p = 0.001), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] (p = 0.045), and triglyceride (p = 0.009) mean values; and lower vitamin D3 (p = 0.045) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.041) mean values.Conclusions:Occurrence of thyroid nodules in severely obese patients was higher than nonobese. Lower age at diagnosis, higher economic level, nonconsumption of alcohol, hyperinsulinemia, higher HOMA-IR scores, and lower vitamin D3 levels were factors associated with the occurrence of thyroid nodules in severely obese patients.

Thyroid Ultrasound Findings and Its Associated Parameters in Saudi People

“…The results of this study show that gender is a non-significant risk factor for thyroid lesions, and its prevalence in women is higher than that in men, which is consistent with the previous reports [19,23]. But other studies [15][16][17] show that gender is an independent risk factor for occurrence of thyroid lesions.…”

“…In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of thyroid nodules in health checkup participants in Saudi Arabia was 27.2%, which is nearly similar to the study of Saeed et al [19], who found that solid nodules represent 28.3% of their study population, and also the study of Siqueira et al [23], who studied the factors associated with the occurrence of thyroid nodules in severely obese patients in Brazil and reported that the occurrence of nodules was 29.9% in their obese group. It is also consistent with the findings of Dauksiene et al [24], who studied the factors associated with thyroid nodules in Lithuanian subjects and noted that thyroid nodules represent 31.2%.…”

“…Thus, it has been postulated that leptin signaling increases TSH secretion, which results in thyroid volume expansion and nodule formation. However, in our data, metabolic parameters and different thyroid status were non-significantly related to thyroid lesions, which were also observed by other studies [23,24]. And in contrast to our finding was the study of Moon JH, et al [16], who found that TSH level, was lower in the subjects with thyroid nodules compared with those without nodules, and the nodular group had a higher frequency of overt/subclinical thyrotoxic state and lower frequency of overt/subclinical hypothyroid state.…”

Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and the Associated Risk Factors in Adults with Thyroid Nodule in Royal Commission Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…Many recently published clinical data pointed to a significant association between lower serum vitamin D levels and thyroid nodules across the globe [8][9][10][11] . Hence vitamin D deficiency is a modified risk factor [12] for thyroid nodular disease [13] , risk of cancer [14] . Many risk factors for nodular thyroid diseases have been identified for example, high blood glucose levels, elevated serum lipid levels, increased weight, abnormal thyroid hormone levels and history of hypertension [9] .…”

Establishment and validation of a multivariate logistic model for risk factors of thyroid nodules using lasso regression screening

“…Obesity and overweight are chronic conditions that have detrimental impacts on overall health ( 34 ). In recent years, the prevalence of both obesity and overweight has markedly risen ( 35 , 36 ). The BMI is considered a crucial indicator for quantifying body fat ( 37 – 39 ).…”