Pulmonary function profile in patients with benign goiters without symptoms of respiratory compromise and the early effect of thyroidectomy.
BACKGROUND
A large number of patients in our country develop goiters which seem to be apparently asymptomatic. Conventional radiography does not address the abnormal air flow dynamics. Flow volume loop studies have shown characteristic dampening of both inspiratory and expiratory curves. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) can provide a simple noninvasive method of assessing airway compromise.


OBJECTIVE
To address the effect of longstanding asymptomatic, benign goiter by performing PFT on the preoperative airway dynamics and the early postoperative changes at six weeks.


METHODS
Tertiary care center, Prospective study.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients with benign goiters were included after they satisfied the necessary exclusion and inclusion criteria. Pulmonary function tests were performed in the pre and postoperative period.


METHODS
SPSS ver. 10 software, Pearson's Bivariate correlation and students T test.


RESULTS
The preoperative PFT showed significant reduction in the Vital capacity (VC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), mid expiratory flow (MEF 25) and MEF 50 in the females and VC, FVC and FEV1 in males. Postoperatively significant improvement was observed in the tidal volume (VT) and FEV1 in the females and airway resistance in males.


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary function tests can demonstrate the unmanifested abnormal airflow dynamics in benign asymptomatic goiters, which would have otherwise taken years to manifest. This abnormality improved after thyroidectomy, especially the forced expiratory maneuvers. The duration and weight of the goiter correlated well with reduction in FEV1 and its subsequent improvement after surgery in females.
Pradeep
P V
PV
Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rae Bareilly Road, Lucknow - 226 014, India.
Tiwari
P
P
Mishra
A
A
Agarwal
G
G
Agarwal
A
A
Verma
A K
AK
Mishra
S K
SK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult