title: The prevalence of thyroid nodular  disease in patients with increased titers of anti-thyroidal peroxidase antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the possible association between autoimmunity and thyroid nodular disease (TND).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a study on 58 patients who were treated in outpatient setting at the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine. Serum samples were analyzed for TSH concentration and anti-TPO antibodies titers. Thyroid ultrasonography was performed in each subject in order to evaluate volume of the gland, and the number and size of nodules.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TND occurred in 70% of anti-TPO positive subjects and in 57.9% of anti-TPO negative subjects, but statistical analysis did not demonstrate a significant concordance between the presence of anti-TPO antibodies and prevalence of TND (p>0.05). We showed that the mean (0.82 vs 0.75; p=0.49), minimal (0.2 vs 0.3; p=0.89) and maximal (2.7 vs 2.4; p=0.49) diameters of a nodule were similar in both groups. Solely in anti-TPO positive patients, anti-TPO titers positively correlated with the number of nodules (p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results favor the role of autoimmunity in TND development although associations between thyroid nodules and thyroid autoimmunity are complicated and may be the subject of much controversy. Increased anti-TPO may influence the number of nodules rather than the presence of TND itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gabryel
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brominski
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owecki
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruchala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013972:Thyrotropin; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase