title: Autoimmune thyroiditis in benign and malignant thyroid nodules: 16-year results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is controversial whether autoimmune thyroiditis is associated with higher frequency of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study. PTCs were compared to benign nodules regarding the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis over 16 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A similar proportion of autoimmune thyroiditis was observed in both benign and/or malignant nodules. Mean nodule size in cases with autoimmune thyroiditis was smaller than those without autoimmune thyroiditis. Multivariate analysis showed a negative association between the coexistence of autoimmune thyroiditis and lymph node and/or distant metastases. Lymph nodes involvement and distant metastases were lower in the PTC with autoimmune thyroiditis compared to those without autoimmune thyroiditis. Capsular invasion was a strong predictor for distant metastases attenuated by the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroid nodules with autoimmune thyroiditis are not more likely to be malignant than those without autoimmune thyroiditis. The coexistent autoimmune thyroiditis may be beneficial as a decreased incidence of lymph nodes involvement and distant metastasis was seen in those patients.
authors.affiliation: Second Division of Endocrinology, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giagourta
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulou
authors.forename: Garyfallia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kassi
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zapanti
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prokopiou
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papapostolou
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: autoimmune thyroiditis; papillary carcinomas; thyroid nodules