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Natural course of benign thyroid nodules in a moderately iodine‐deficient area
Author(s) -
Erdogan Murat Faik,
Gursoy Alptekin,
Erdogan Gurbuz
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2006.02664.x
Subject(s) - nodule (geology) , thyroid nodules , thyroid , medicine , iodine , ultrasonography , logistic regression , iodine deficiency , radiology , endocrinology , gastroenterology , chemistry , biology , paleontology , organic chemistry
Summary Objective Few studies using ultrasonographic evaluation have addressed the natural course of benign thyroid nodules. In this study, we present the long‐term analysis of benign, untreated thyroid nodules in a moderately iodine‐deficient area. Design We collected the retrospective data for 531 nodules in 420 patients followed by ultrasonography for a mean time period of 39·7 ± 27·8 months (range 12–168 months). Results When we considered significant nodule size decrease criteria as decreases in nodule volume of at least 15% and 30%, we found that 33·1% and 20·7% of thyroid nodules decreased in size, respectively. Using the criteria of a greater than 15% and 30% increase in volume showed that 32% and 24·1% increased in size, respectively. A logistic regression analysis using mixed models to predict thyroid nodule growth (volume change ≥ 15%), including age, TSH, sex and time between evaluations, failed to predict nodule growth. Only hypoechoic echo pattern remained as a statistically significant predictor of growth. Conclusion In 40 months’ follow‐up, we found that benign thyroid nodules exhibited a mostly favourable clinical natural course. One‐third of benign thyroid nodules showed continuous growth, one‐third remained unchanged, and the other third decreased in size.