title: Thyroid autoimmunity and risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules submitted to fine-needle aspiration cytology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether the risk of cancer is increased in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis is a controversial issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2005 and October 2012, 3777 fine-needle aspiration cytologies (FNACs) were performed on 2562 patients. Serum FT4, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), and anti-thyroperoxidase antibody (TPOAb) were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with suspicious cytology were younger and presented smaller maximum lesion diameter. In patients with TgAb positivity, suspicious cytology was detected more frequently (9.4%) than patients without TgAb (5.7%; p = .04). No significant difference was recorded between benign and suspicious cytology in the positive TPOAb rate. Risk factors for suspicious cytology were younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.94), smaller maximum diameter (0.95), single lesion (1.85), microcalcifications (3.45), and TgAb (1.74). Mixed solid/fluid content resulted as being a protective factor (0.34). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, age, mixed content, and microcalcification confirmed significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroid nodule malignancy in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis is not more frequent than in patients without thyroiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, "Sapienza" Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calvanese
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carbotta
authors.forename: Mimma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Alessandri
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nesca
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Sordo
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fumarola
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000276:immunology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000473:pathology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013954:Thyroglobulin
keywords: Hashimoto disease; autoimmunity; biopsy; cytology; fine-needle aspiration cytology; thyroid neoplasms