title: Ultrasonographic assessment of thyroid volume in oldest-old individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between thyroid volume and age, gender, anthropometric characteristics, and echogenicity in oldest-old subjects in an iodine-sufficient area.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 81 independent elderly individuals aged ≥ 80 years (65 [80.2%] women). We determined these individuals' anthropometric characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and lean body mass, as well as thyroid volume and echogenicity by ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that octogenarians and nonagenarians had different profiles of thyroid echogenicity. The volume of the thyroid was smaller in nonagenarians than octogenarians (p = 0.012, r = 0.176), and subjects aged 80-89 years had more often hypoechoic glands than those aged ≥ 90 years (p = 0.01 versus 0.602).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of ultrasonographic differences in oldest-old individuals will contribute to establishing preclinical markers, such as echogenicity, to identify individuals at risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease. Future prospective studies should identify if 80-89-year-old individuals with hypoechoic glands progress to hypothyroidism, and if the absence of changes in echogenicity (i.e. a normal thyroid parenchyma) would have a positive impact on longevity among nonagenarians.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Geriatria e Gerontologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Glaucia Cruzes
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Geriatria e Gerontologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lara Miguel Quirino
authors.initials: LMQ
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Geriatria e Gerontologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Geriatria e Gerontologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Clineu Mello
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Almada
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Geriatria e Gerontologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maysa Seabra
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cendoroglo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin