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Among older people, the most common cause of thyroid enlargement is a multinodular goiter
The background of the study. Nearly all thyroid
diseases result in thyroid enlargement (goiter), but the relative
frequency of the different diseases that cause goiter is debated.
In this cross-sectional study the frequency of different causes
of goiter in older subjects was determined.
How the study was done. The study subjects were 634 consecutive patients (544 women and 90 men), aged 55 years or older, with goiter seen at an endocrine clinic in Madrid, Spain, from 1994 to 2001. The cause of the goiter was determined according to the results of physical examination, imaging studies, and measurements of thyroid function and thyroid antibodies.
The results of the study. The most common cause
of goiter was nontoxic multinodular goiter, present in 51 percent
of the patients, followed by toxic multinodular goiter, present
in 24 percent (Table).
Table. Causes of Goiter in 634 Patients Aged 55 Years and Older. |
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|
Women (n = 544) |
Men (n = 90) |
Nontoxic multinodular goiter |
283 (52%) |
42 (47%) |
Toxic multinodular goiter |
132 (24%) |
19 (21%) |
Solitary nodule |
53 (10%) |
9 (10%) |
Toxic adenoma |
24 (4%) |
8 (9%) |
Graves’ disease |
19 (4%) |
8 (9%) |
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis |
24 (4%) |
1 (1%) |
Simple goiter |
6 (1%) |
2 (2%) |
Thyroiditis |
3 (1%) |
0 (0%) |
Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary tumor |
0 (0%) |
1 (1%) |
The conclusions of the study. Among older people, the most common causes of goiter are nontoxic multinodular goiter and toxic multinodular goiter.
The original article. Diez JJ. Goiter in adult patients aged 55 years and older: etiology and clinical features in 634 patients. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2005; 60:920-3.
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| Thyroid Digest Index | | | November 2005 Thyroid Digest |
