Thyroid dysfunction and nodular goiter in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of nodular goiter and thyroid dysfunction in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Single dialysis unit and outpatient clinic.


METHODS
The study included 221 patients [143 HD and 78 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients] along with 135 consecutively selected outpatients as controls.


METHODS
Ultrasonography was used to detect patients' thyroid function and nodular goiter.


RESULTS
Nodular goiter was detected in 54.8% of the uremic patients and in 21.5% of the controls. Uremic patients had higher prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, which included reduced serum concentration of total T3, total T4, and free T4, and increased serum level of TSH. Hypothyroidism was also observed more frequently in uremic patients than in the control group (5.4% vs 0.7%, p < 0.05). Nodular goiter was more frequently found in females than in males (63.5% vs 48%, p < 0.05). Moreover, the prevalence of nodular goiter increased with age (p < 0.02) in uremic patients. Hemodialysis patients had a higher frequency of reduced total T3 level (46.9% vs 29.5%, p < 0.02). However, CAPD patients had lower T4 levels (6.23+/-1.82 microg/dL vs 7.15+/-1.99 microg/dL, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Because of the high incidence of hypothyroidism and nodular goiter in uremic patients, screening of thyroid function and goiter detection with ultrasound should be considered in evaluation of end-stage renal disease patients.
Lin
C C
CC
Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chen
T W
TW
Ng
Y Y
YY
Chou
Y H
YH
Yang
W C
WC
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D014511:Uremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
D013963:Thyroid Hormones