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Morbid Obesity in Women is Associated to a Lower Prevalence of Thyroid Nodules

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Abstract

Background

Few studies have recently showed functional and morphological changes of the thyroid gland in relation to obesity. To our knowledge, no data are available about the prevalence of thyroid nodules in female obese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in morbidly obese women.

Methods

One hundred eight consecutive female obese patients were selected from those referred to our medical and surgery outpatients providing that following criteria were satisfied: (1) affected by morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2); (2) no previous diagnosis of thyroid disease; (3) biochemically proven euthyroid state at the time of recruitment. Ninety-seven control subjects, constituted by normo-weight and/or slightly overweight (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2) women, should satisfy the above criteria 2 and 3. All the subjects were submitted to ultrasound investigation.

Results

The two groups of patients displayed no differences for age and fT4 levels. Obese patients clearly showed a lower prevalence of thyroid nodules [odds ratio 0.294, 95% confidence interval 0.206–0.382]. A single nodule was found in 23% of obese patients as compared to 65% of control subjects (p < 0.0001). No difference for age (year) was found between obese and non-obese subjects with nodules (40.5 ± 8.2 vs. 44.2 ± 8.9, respectively, p = 0.07).

Conclusions

Our data clearly show a significantly lower prevalence of thyroid nodules in morbidly obese patients. Further studies are needed to confirm and to understand this first observation.

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Conflict of Interest Disclosure

All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrine and Metabolic Unit, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili n°1, 25100, Brescia, Italy

    Carlo Cappelli, Ilenia Pirola, Elvira De Martino, Barbara Agosti, Annamaria Formenti, Enrico Agabiti Rosei & Maurizio Castellano

  2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, 1st Division of General Surgery, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Francesco Mittempergher, Claudio Casella & Riccardo Nascimbeni

Authors
  1. Carlo Cappelli
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  2. Ilenia Pirola
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  3. Francesco Mittempergher
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  4. Elvira De Martino
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  5. Claudio Casella
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  6. Barbara Agosti
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  7. Riccardo Nascimbeni
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  8. Annamaria Formenti
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  9. Enrico Agabiti Rosei
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  10. Maurizio Castellano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlo Cappelli.

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Cappelli, C., Pirola, I., Mittempergher, F. et al. Morbid Obesity in Women is Associated to a Lower Prevalence of Thyroid Nodules. OBES SURG 22, 460–464 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-011-0410-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-011-0410-5

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