Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Thyroid Nodules and Goiter in Middle-Aged Euthyroid Subjects

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine associations of thyroid hormone levels and different metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements with volume of nodular and nonnodular thyroid as well as with prevalence of goiter and thyroid nodules in middle-aged euthyroid subjects. Methods. The study consisted of 317 euthyroid subjects aged 48-49 from the Kaunas Cardiovascular Risk Cohort study. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and antithyroid peroxidase antibody (ATPO) levels, as well as anthropometric and metabolic parameters and smoking information, were evaluated. Results. In subjects with and without thyroid nodules, thyroid volume correlated with components of metabolic syndrome, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and TSH levels. In the nonnodular thyroid group, thyroid volume was also positively related to serum insulin and HOMA-IR, whereas a negative correlation between thyroid volume and leptin was identified in the nodular thyroid group. The goiter was identified in 12.3% of subjects. Female gender, thyroid nodules, smoking, BMI, and levels of TSH were independent predictors for goiter. Thyroid nodules were found in 31.2% of participants. Female gender, higher TSH levels, and thyroid volume were independent risk factors for thyroid nodules. Conclusions. Female gender, thyroid nodules, smoking, BMI, and TSH levels were identified as potential predictors of goiter. Female gender, TSH levels, and thyroid volume predicted the presence of thyroid nodules.

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

“…A positive association serum TSH elevation was confirmed by several researchers (Díez and Iglesias, 2011;Kitahara et al, 2012;Knudsen et al, 2005;Reinehr, 2011;Rotond et al, 2009;Solanki et al, 2013;Váldes et al, 2017), and recently, higher TSH concentrations were considered as an independent risk factor for thyroid nodules (Dauksiene et al, 2017). However, this study showed no significant difference in TSH values between severely obese and nonobese patients with nodules.…”

Obesity is Associated with Increased Thyroid Volume and Heterogeneity in Ultrasonography

“…The published reports have documented increasing thyroid volume with increasing BMI (7,8,19). Changes in body composition might affect thyroid volume.…”

Diagnostic accuracy of preoperative palpation- versus ultrasound-guided thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology: an observational study

“…The increased usage and experience with ultrasound of the neck resulted in detection of more incidental and nonpalpable thyroid nodules [11]. The prevalence of thyroid nodules ranges between 19% and 68% in patients who underwent random ultrasonography of the neck [4]. This high prevalence of thyroid nodules requires an evidence-based approach for appropriate diagnosis and management which may lead to reduction of the unnecessary surgical intervention and its associated complications [1].…”

“…Notably, the prevalence of palpable nodules on physical examination alone in adult population is as low as 5-7% [3]. On the other hand, thyroid nodules are frequently detected upon neck ultrasonography which ranges from 19% to 67%; of which only 4-7% are also palpable on physical examination [4]. The reported prevalence of thyroid nodules in some studies is as high as 68% using high-resolution ultrasound in randomly chosen subjects [5].…”