title: Prevalence of upper airway obstruction in patients with apparently asymptomatic euthyroid multi nodular goitre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence of upper airway obstruction (UAO) in "apparently asymptomatic" patients with euthyroid multinodular goitre (MNG) and find correlation between clinical features, UAO on pulmonary function test (PFT) and tracheal narrowing on computerised tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with apparently asymptomatic euthyroid MNG attending thyroid clinic in a tertiary centre underwent clinical examination to elicit features of UAO, PFT, and CT of neck and chest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical analysis was done with SPSS version 11.5 using paired t-test, Chi square test, and Fisher's exact test. P value of <0.05 was considered to be significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six patients (52 females and four males) were studied. The prevalence of UAO (PFT) and significant tracheal narrowing (CT) was 14.3%. and 9.3%, respectively. Clinical features failed to predict UAO or significant tracheal narrowing. Tracheal narrowing (CT) did not correlate with UAO (PFT). Volume of goitre significantly correlated with degree of tracheal narrowing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical features do not predict UAO on PFT or tracheal narrowing on CT in apparently asymptomatic patients with euthyroid MNG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Seth G. S. Medical College, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Sunil K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: Varsha S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Jagtap
authors.forename: Vijaya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarathi
authors.forename: Anurag R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lila
authors.forename: Tushar R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Bandgar
authors.forename: Padmavathy S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: Nalini S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Shah