title: Morbid obesity in women is associated to a lower prevalence of thyroid nodules.
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/m(2)); (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/m(2)) 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrine and Metabolic Unit, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili n°1, 25100, Brescia, Italy. cappelli@med.unibs.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cappelli
authors.forename: Ilenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pirola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mittempergher
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Martino
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casella
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Agosti
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nascimbeni
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Formenti
authors.forename: Enrico Agabiti
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rosei
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin