title: Influence of long-term statin use in type 2 diabetic patients on thyroid nodularity in iodine-sufficient area.
abstract: Statins have marked beneficial effects on lipid profile, but also have pleiotropic actions. A previous study in an iodine-deficient area suggested that statin use is associated with reduced thyroid volume and nodularity. We performed this study to investigate how long-term statin use in type 2 diabetic patients affects thyroid nodularity in iodine-sufficient area.We recruited euthyroid type 2 diabetic patients, receiving statin therapy continuously for at least 5 years (statin group) and, age and sex matched statin-naive type 2 diabetic patients (control group). Subjects with past history of cancer, thyroid disease or treatment with lithium or amiodarone; family history of thyroid cancer; palpable goiter or thyroid nodule, and/or positive thyroperoxidase antibody were excluded. The prevalence, number, and volume of thyroid nodules, size of thyroid were evaluated in all subjects by high resolution ultrasound.Prevalence of non-palpable thyroid nodules of statin group (n=70) and control group (n=98) were 51 and 53%, respectively. There was no difference of prevalence, number, and volume of non-palpable thyroid nodules and size of thyroid between statin and control group. But, the patients aged between 60 and 65 years from statin group showed lower prevalence of non-palpable thyroid nodules than the patients with same age interval from control group (4 out of 12 patients, 33%, statin group; 19 out of 27 patients, 70%, control group; P=0.04).Long-term statin use in elderly type 2 diabetic patients was associated with lesser prevalence of thyroid nodules in an iodine-sufficient area. Our data might support a possible antiproliferative effect of statins on thyroid in old type 2 diabetic patients. But, the effect was not as strong as that in an iodine-deficient area and further studies with enough numbers of subjects and revised design will be needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Chon
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suk
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D007455:Iodine