title: High prevalence of thyroid ultrasonographic abnormalities in primary aldosteronism.
abstract: The study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities detected by ultrasonography and, in particular, of multinodular nontoxic goiter in primary aldosteronism. We analyzed 80 consecutive of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (40 with unilateral adenoma and 40 with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism) and 80 normotensive healthy controls, comparable for age, sex, iodine intake, and geographical area. Blood pressure, thyroid palpation, thyroid function, and ultrasonography were evaluated. The prevalence of ultrasonographic thyroid abnormalities was 60% in primary aldosteronism and 27% in controls (p < 0.0001). There was a statistically significant difference in prevalence of these abnormalities in unilateral adenoma and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism with respect to controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The prevalence of multinodular nontoxic goiter in idiopathic hyperaldosteronism was higher than in controls (p < 0.001) and, in particular, in female patients. From these data it seems to be worth considering the existence of primary hyperaldosteronism in patients with multinodular goiter and hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrinology, University of Padua, Via Ospedale 105, 35100 Padua, Italy. decio.armanini@unipd.it
authors.forename: Decio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Armanini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nacamulli
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scaroni
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lumachi
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selice
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favia
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mantero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000150:complications*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography