Changes in thyroid surgery during iodine prophylaxis of endemic goiter

The present report is based on 13,778 patients who had thyroid surgery between 1952 and 1980. Until 1971, western Austria was considered an endemic goiter area (school children goiter incidence 50% in 1963), but with the advent of iodized salt in 1963, the goiter incidence has decreased to 13% in preadolescents in recent years. This change in thyroid pathology was accompanied by a decrease in weight of removed thyroids (mean, 125 g→95 g) with a relative increase of hyperthyroid goiters (8.6%→43.6%) and of thyroid cancer in the surgical series (2.6%→6.8%), while the overall rate of interventions decreased only slightly. Surgery for recurrent goiters is rare now (6.2%) while it was considered a problem in previous years (16%). Histological patterns of thyroid cancer have shown a shift to more differentiated, and therefore more treatable, cancer types. The TNM classification has changed also, with 39.1% T₂N₁M₀ cases now versus only 29% in this prognostically better group before 1971. In conclusion, this study indicates that during iodine prophylaxis for endemic goiter, thyroid surgery will retain its significance in the treatment of thyroid disease but that a different therapeutic approach becomes necessary as a result of significant changes in thyroid pathology. Nodular goiters developing under adequate iodine supply require a much more aggressive therapy than those observed in iodine deficient areas.     

Follow-Up After Surgery for Benign Nodular Thyroid Disease: Evidence-Based Approach

Background

There is no consensus on what constitutes appropriate methodology and timing for follow-up of patients after surgery for benign nodular disease.

Methods

A systematic review of the medical literature using evidence-based criteria was used to address the following four issues: (1) How often should patients who have undergone thyroidectomy for the treatment of benign nodular goiter be followed, and what constitutes appropriate follow-up? (2) What is the most appropriate method for detecting recurrent nodular thyroid disease? (3) Does thyroid hormone administration prevent recurrent nodular thyroid disease? (4) Does iodine administration prevent recurrent nodular thyroid disease?

Results

Altogether, 742 articles were found in MEDLINE using a keyword search strategy; we then narrowed them to 23 articles. There were a total of four articles with Level I data, five articles with Level II data, one article with Level III data, and 13 articles with Level IV or retrospective data.

Conclusions

Based on the available data, it is our recommendation that patients undergoing thyroid lobectomy for benign nodular thyroid disease should be followed with an annual physical examination, neck ultrasonography, and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement. Patients undergoing total thyroidectomy should be followed with an annual physical examination and a serum TSH measurement. Routine thyroxine and/or iodine supplementation may be useful for preventing recurrence in patients from iodine-deficient regions.

     

Reoperative Thyroid Surgery

Reoperative thyroid surgery is an uncommon operation associated with a high complication rate. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 115 patients to study the incidence of complications after reoperative thyroid surgery. There were 107 women and 8 men (13.4:1.0) with an average age of 42.8 years (range 18–80 years). The most frequent indication for reoperation was completion thyroidectomy for a carcinoma identified by permanent sections (50 patients, 43.5%). Reoperative surgery was performed on 13 (11.3%) patients with recurrent thyroid cancer. The remaining 52 patients underwent reoperation for recurrent thyrotoxicosis (12 patients, 10.4%), recurrent nodular goiter (28 patients, 24.3%) or recurrent multinodular goiter (12 patients, 10.4%). Seven patients with recurrent nodular goiter and one patient with recurrent thyrotoxicosis underwent total thyroidectomy for the presence of malignancies that were identified by frozen sections. Overall, the interval between the initial and reoperative procedures ranged from 1 day to 33 years (2335 ± 272 days). The length of hospital stay was 5.8 ± 0.5 days. The length of time needed for reoperative thyroid surgery was 122.0 ± 6.2 minutes. There was no 30-day perioperative mortality. The postoperative complications consisted of transient hypoparathyroidism in six patients (5.2%), permanent hypoparathyroidism in two patients (1.7%), transient RLN palsy in 3 patients (2.6%), and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in two patients (1.7%). Reoperative thyroid surgery can be performed safely with little morbidity to the patient.     

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??Coexisting nodular goiter and thyroid carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 262 cases HE Liang, ZHANG Hao??DONG Wen-wu, et al. Department of General Surgery, the First Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
Corresponding author: ZHANG Hao,E-mail: haozhang@mail.cmu.edu.cn
Abstract Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics and the highlight of diagnosis and treatment of nodular goiter in patients with coexistent thyroid carcinoma??Methods A total of 262 nodular goiter coexisting with thyroid carcinoma patients underwent operations from January 1998 to December 2007 at the First Hospital, China Medical University were retrospectively reviewed??Results Two hundreds and sixty-two patients accounted for 33.9% in thyroid carcinoma patients at the same time. The age mainly ranged from 40 to 59 years. The sex ratio was 1:5.2 (male:female). The clinical characteristics were manifested as nodular goiter. In addition to 25 patients who received secondary operation had a clear diagnosis before surgery. 70.0% of tumors were suspected as malignant lesions by preoperative ultrasound examination, in which 39.2% exhibited as microcalcification. The accuracy rate of intra-operative fast frozen section pathological examination was 93.2%. Tumor nodules less than 2.0 cm in diameter accounted for 62.9%, and microcarcinomas accounted for 40.1%. Clinical phase I cases accounted for 74%. The main pathological type was papillary carcinoma??93.1%??. The various styles of thyroidectomy were performed according to the different pathological results?? Neck dissection was performed in 122 patients, and 46 of them had cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Most patients with coexisting thyroid carcinomas and nodular goiter have small tumor size and lower incidence of lymph node metastasis. The coexistent thyroid carcinoma was often well differentiated papillary cancer??The preoperative ultrasonography and the intra-operative fast frozen section examination are helpful for the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma in nodular goiter?? Regular follow-up in patients with nodular goiter could improve the early diagnostic rate of coexisting thyroid carcinoma.     

Molecular aetiology of nodular goitre -- consequences for therapy?

Up to 15 % of the adult German population display an enlarged thyroid gland and up to 30 % present thyroid nodules. Iodine deficiency is the most important factor in the etiology of nodular goiter. Insulin-like growth factor-I is overexpressed in thyroids in severely iodine deficient areas. There is evidence that iodolactones are mediators of thyroid hormone autoregulation. However familial and twin studies demonstrated a genetic component in the etiology of nodular goiter. Linkage analysis identified two chromosomal regions (MNG-1, Xp 22) in multinodular goiter. Other possible candidate genes or markers such as TG, TPO, NIS, PDS and TSH-R were not identified. Nodular goiter certainly comprises a number of genotypes. TSH receptor mutations result in activation of the cAMP cascade. Cells with a constitutively activated cAMP cascade have an increased growth advantage due to their TSH independent cAMP stimulation. Alimentary iodine supply should be the first choice in primary prevention of nodular thyroid disease in iodine deficient areas, because prevalence of nodular goiter is negative correlated with individual iodine status in epidemiological surveys. Surgical removal of nodular goiters should include nearly the hold thyroid tissue to avoid recurrent goiter.     

复发性结节性甲状腺肿再手术中喉返神经的保护探讨

【摘要】〓目的〓探索结节性甲状腺肿术后复发再手术中喉返神经的保护策略。方法〓选取我科32例复发性结节性甲状腺手术患者,回顾性分析其手术、临床资料。结果〓通过术中精细解剖,清晰暴露甲状腺解剖标志——Berry韧带和Zuckerkandl结节,明确喉返神经“起点”与“终点”,完整切除腺体,保护喉返神经完好;术后3例患者出现暂时性声音嘶哑,予以神经营养和理疗,2例患者术后两周内恢复正常,1例患者术后四周内恢复正常。结论〓结节性甲状腺肿术后复发再手术者,喉返神经毗邻结构因粘连而层次不清,术者掌握必要的手术技巧和精细操作,暴露关键的甲状腺解剖标志以显露喉返神经,是避免其医源性损伤的重要方法。     

结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌72例临床分析

目的总结结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌的临床特点及其诊断和治疗要点。方法回顾分析1993-01—2010-01手术治疗并病理证实的72例结节性申状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌患者的临床资料。结果该组72例,占同期手术治疗结节性甲状腺肿患者的6.2%。术前彩超检查可疑恶性者占20.8%。术中快速冰冻检查诊断准确率为98.6%。病理类型以乳头状癌为主(93.1%)。手术方式主要是患侧腺叶+峡部切除+对侧腺叶次全/部分切除。结论结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌以乳头状癌为主,淋巴结转移发生率低。术中快速冰冻检查是诊断结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌的关键。对结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小癌不做预防性淋巴结清扫是安全的。     

Incidental thyroid carcinoma in patients with Graves' disease

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of incidental thyroid carcinoma in patients with Graves' disease is uncertain. METHODS: The prevalence of incidental thyroid carcinoma was determined in patients with Graves' disease who underwent surgery from 1990 to 2007 and was compared with patients with nontoxic nodular goiter or toxic multinodular goiter who underwent surgery during the same time period. RESULTS: Of the 93 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for Graves' disease, 2 patients (2.2%) had an incidental papillary carcinoma: .4 and .5 cm in size. Neither patient developed recurrent disease after 3 and 13 years of follow-up evaluation. The prevalence of incidental thyroid cancer was 3.6% and 6.2% in patients with nontoxic nodular goiter and toxic multinodular goiter, respectively (P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of incidental thyroid carcinoma in patients with Graves' disease is comparable with patients with nontoxic or toxic goiter. Incidental thyroid carcinomas in patients with Graves' disease were papillary microcarcinomas of no clinical consequence.     

结节性甲状腺肿的外科治疗

目的　探讨结节性甲状腺肿与甲癌的关系以及结节性甲状腺肿术后复发的原因。方法　对湘雅医院普外科近 12年手术治疗的 199例结节性甲状腺肿患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果　经病理检查证实 ,199例结节性甲状腺肿并发甲癌 7例 (包括 2例微小癌 ) ,均为乳头状癌。术后结节复发 18例 (11.5 %)。结果显示术后未服药者复发率显著高于服药者。结论　结节性甲状腺肿发生甲癌的危险很小。结节性甲状腺肿手术治疗后必须采取甲状腺激素治疗 ,才能有效降低术后复发率。     

结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺癌25例

目的：探讨结节性甲状腺肿中甲状腺癌的临床特征和预后。方法：回顾性分析手术治疗结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺癌２５例临床资料。结果：２５例结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺癌,男６例,女１９例,年龄１２～６５（３６．８±１３．１）岁,占同期手术治疗３９５５例结节性甲状腺肿的０．６３％。术前、术中诊断甲状腺癌的占３２％,６８％为术后病理检查发现。甲状腺微小癌占４８％。结论：结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺癌预后较好。不能简单地认为结节性甲状腺肿是良性病变而忽略对其的处理,也不应过分强调甲状腺癌在治疗结节性甲状腺肿中的地位随意放宽手术指征,或扩大手术。     

A technique for thyroidectomy.

For several decades following the turn of the century, most thyroid surgery was necessary because of endemic goiter and Grave's disease. A lack of safe anesthesia and an inability to control hyperthyroidism preoperatively necessitated a rapid operating technique. This often meant blind resection of the bulbous anterior and lateral portions of the gland, resulting in considerable hemorrhage and injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve in a significant number of cases. With the subsequent introduction of iodine into food and the use of radioactive iodine and the antithyroid drugs, surgery for these conditions was largely eliminated. Nevertheless, the thyroid surgeon of today still has a role in surgery of thyroid cysts, nodular goiter, and multinodular goiter either for cosmetic reasons or because of tracheal or esophageal obstruction. In addition, surgery is still required for nodular goiter with hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancers. Modern anesthetics and preoperative control of thyrotoxic patients afford the surgeon an opportunity for anatomic dissection of the thyroid. This article deals with an evolving technique for thyroidectomy individualized according to the pathophysiologic requirements of each case. The illustrations apply to a patient with a right lobe thyroid nodule. The variations in technique required for different thyroid disorders will be reviewed.     

Ultrasonic method of study and puncture biopsy in diagnosing thyroid nodules

Results of diagnosis of thyroid nodes in 404 patients are analyzed. Ultrasonic examination and US-assisted puncture biopsy were carried out before operations. Their results were compared with ones of morphologic study performed after surgery. Solitary nodes were diagnosed in 171 (42.3%) patients, multiple--in 233 (57.7%). The most specific ultrasonic symptoms of different forms of thyroid nodes were revealed. Thyroid cancer is imaged as hypoechogenic node with clear and unclear contour, heterogeneous structure, multiple zones of hyperechogenicity and calcification. Adenomas are presented as isoechogenic homogenic nodes with clear border and cystic cavities. Colloid nodes picture is the same. Rathen often different morphologic forms of nodes are similar, thus ultrasonic examination permits to detect morphologic structure of nodes hypothetically only. Sensitivity of puncture biopsy for goiter, adenomas and cancer was 87.1, 92.9 and 69.7% respectively. Cancer was not diagnosed before surgery in 30.3% cases when colloid goiter or adenomas were suspected. In these cases small cancer was located amidst colloid nodes and didn't differ by ultrasonic symptoms. Diagnosis of malignant tumor in nodular goiter was highly precise. Morphologic form of cancer was verified cytologically in majority of cases.     

Thyroid disorders in hemodialysis patients in an iodine-deficient community

There are various changes in the thyroid gland and its function in chronic renal failure (CRF). These changes include lower levels of circulating thyroid hormone, altered peripheral hormone metabolism, decreased binding to carrier proteins, possible reduction in tissue hormone content, and increased iodine storage in the thyroid gland. The decrease of excretion of urinary iodine in CRF increases serum inorganic iodine level and iodine content of the thyroid, which consequently enlarges the gland. This study is designed to investigate the prevalence of goiter and thyroid dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) in an iodine-deficient community. Eighty-seven (40 females and 47 males) HD patients and 169 (79 females and 90 males) healthy individuals as controls are included. Sex ratios for the patient and control groups are 0.85 and 0.88, respectively. Mean ages for the patient and control groups are 42.94 +/- 11.88 and 40.20 +/- 10.72 years, respectively. Examination of the thyroid gland using ultrasonography along with simultaneous measurement of blood levels of free-T4 (FT4), free-T3 (FT3), and thyrotropin (TSH) are made for every individual. The presence of goiter demonstrable by ultrasonography is found in 32.2% of the uremic patients and in 23.5% of the controls and its prevalence increases with age (P = 0.01). In 32 (36.8%) of the patients and 29 (17.1%) of the controls at least one thyroid nodule is found in ultrasonography. Between patients with or without a nodular goiter the authors could not observe any difference for duration of dialysis and serum levels of TSH, FT4, FT3, calcium, and albumin. In ESRD patients the prevalence of nodular goiter is higher for females (47.5% vs. 27.7%, P = 0.045) and increases with age (P = 0.04). Though incidence of hyperthyroidism is found to be similar for the two groups (1.14% in ESRD patients vs. 1.10% in controls), hypothyroidism is observed in 3.4% of ESRD patients but only 0.6% of controls. This high incidence of hypothyroidism and nodular goiter in ESRD patients shows that screening for thyroid dysfunction and goiter, using appropriate laboratory tests and ultrasonography, should be considered in evaluation of every ESRD patient.     

Thyroxine therapy in benign thyroid nodules

Levothyroxine (LT4) treatment in benign thyroid nodules is a controversial management. The favorable response varies between 10-60%, being, in some studies, comparable between treated and untreated groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of uninodular goiter at the LT4 treatment, in comparison with untreated patients. The study group (S) included 53 patients diagnosed with nodular goiter, treated with LT4 for 1 year. 26 patients with nodular goiter, age and sex-matched, untreated, constituted the control group (C). All patients were from a minor iodine deficient area. The including criteria were euthyroidism, single nodule, solid (ultrasonography), cold (Scintigraphy), and benign (FNAB). After 1 year mean nodular volume had a significant decrement in both groups, higher in group S (35%: from 7.8 to 5.2 mL, p = 0.0098) than in group C (25%: from 8.4 to 5.9 mL, p = 0.026). Linear regression showed a slight correlation between the nodular decrement and the initial volume (r = 0.23): the responders percentage was higher in nodules with a volume < 5 ml than in those with volume > 5 ml (51.5% vs o 19.6%, p < 0.0001). The evolution of treated nodules seamed to be better than of the untreated ones, but the differences were only slightly significant. We believe that the evolution of thyroid nodules under LT4 treatment can be influenced by the iodine supply, since in most of the studies from minor iodine deficiency regions (Europe, South America) the response is better than in regions with sufficient iodine supply (North America). Knowing the potential side effects of LT4 therapy, this kind of management of benign thyroid nodules should be reserved to selected cases.     

自主功能性甲状腺结节104例临床分析

目的提高对自主功能性甲状腺结节（ＡＦＴＮ）的诊断与治疗水平。方法１０４例ＡＦＴＮ中同位素结合促甲状腺激素刺激扫描诊断１６例,结合甲状腺激素抑制扫描诊断２０例,结合手术前后扫描诊断６８例。全部病例均行手术治疗,手术方式有单纯结节摘除,一叶部分或全切除,双叶次全切除及癌根治术。结果１０４例ＡＦＴＮ中,同位素扫描为“热结节”者９４例,“温结节”者１０例,继发甲状腺机能亢进２５例（２４％）,７６例来自地方性甲状腺肿流行区。病理类型：结节性甲状腺肿７６例（７３１％）,甲状腺腺瘤２６例（２５０％）,甲状腺癌２例（１９％）。对２６例ＡＦＴＮ患者进行术后３～２２年随访,未发现结节复发及甲低等并发症。结论碘缺乏可能在ＡＦＴＮ形成中起重要作用;同位素扫描是诊断ＡＦＴＮ的主要手段;ＡＦＴＮ患者一旦确诊应及时治疗,手术是较好的治疗方法。     

The efficiency of performing ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy following mass screening for thyroid tumors to avoid unnecessary surgery

Thyroid masses are a common clinical finding, and their management remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of performing routine ultrasound (US) examinations and US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) in the management of diffuse or nodular goiter diagnosed by mass screening. Mass screening carried out from 1993 to 1996 revealed 444 women with goiter, 322 of whom had diffuse goiter and 122 had nodular goiter. All of these patients underwent US examination, the results of which determined that 169 should undergo US-FNAB to confirm an accurate diagnosis of their thyroid tumors. Histological examinations after surgical resection revealed that 12 of the 322 patients with diffuse goiter (3.7%) and 23 of the 122 with nodular goiter (18.9%) had malignant tumors. Among the 61 thyroid tumors surgically verified, US-FNAB yielded a sensitivity rate of 93%, a specificity rate of 81%, and an accuracy rate of 90%. Insufficient aspiration was obtained from 5%. Performing US-FNAB-resulted in an elevation in the percentage of malignant tumors yielded at surgery of up to 72%. Thus, ultrasonography followed by US-guided-FNAB could be a useful routine method of evaluating thyroid tumors detected by mass screening. Moreover, a greater number of unnecessary thyroid operations can be avoided by performing US-FNAB rather than FNAB alone.     

Use and abuse of iodine in the management of goiter

The answers to this questionnaire reveal that 96 per cent of the physicians suggest the use of iodine in the form of Lugol's solution (10 drops weekly) or one 10 mg. idostrone tablet weekly, alone or with dessicated thyroid extract in the treatment of colloid goiter.Eighty-eight per cent find it necessary to correct mild diffuse (exophthalmic) goiter by subtotal thyroidectomy, and another 8 per cent suggest surgery if the condition is not cured in a reasonable period of time with iodine medication.The opinion is practically unanimous (99 per cent) that nontoxic nodular (adenomatous) goiter should not be treated with iodine medication. As many as 79 per cent of the physicians agree that the promiscuous administration of iodine produces activation or toxicity in this type of goiter.In toxic goiter, we note the greatest abuse in the use of iodine medication. Almost 90 per cent of the patients treated by goiter surgeons have had previous iodine medication, which produces an increase in the operative risk, and a very definite increase in the morbidity, especially since stage operations are often necessary in order to prevent an increased mortality. Practically all postoperative thyroid crises occur in patients who have had long continued iodine medication before consulting the goiter surgeon.     

The diagnosis and surgical treatment of nodular euthyroid and toxic goiter

The authors discuss their experience in treating 815 patients who underwent an operation for nodular euthyroid and toxic goiter. Thermography was used in the examination of 367 patients and the results were compared with those of radioisotope scanning of the thyroid, intraoperative findings, and the results of histological study. It was established that in complex with clinical methods of examination, thermography is very important in making the differential diagnosis of thyroid diseases. The specific features of surgical tactics in patients with nodular goiter are shown. Economical resection of the gland together with the node is recommended in nodular euthyroid goiter and subtotal subfascial resection of the involved lobe or the thyroid gland in nodular toxic goiter.     

全民普遍食盐加碘后广西地区甲状腺疾病谱的变迁

目的分析实行全民普遍食盐加碘前后广西沿海、山区等不同碘环境下甲状腺疾病谱变迁的特点,探讨普遍食盐加碘对甲状腺疾病谱的影响。方法收集广西南宁、桂林、百色及北海4城市的解放军三。三医院、解放军一八一医院、广西右江民族医学院附属医院及北海市人民医院1991年1月至2006年12月期间经手术治疗的甲状腺疾病患者共5998例,所有病例均有病理诊断并检测了尿碘水平;另检测同期1000位甲状腺正常人群的尿碘水平作对照。分析普遍食盐加碘前后碘环境的改变与甲状腺疾病谱变迁的关系。结果普遍食盐加碘后,结节性甲状腺肿患者的构成比较加碘前下降（尸〈0．05）,而毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎及甲状腺乳头状癌患者的构成比较加碘前增高（P〈0．053;同时,结节性甲状腺肿、毒性弥漫性甲状腺肿、毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎及甲状腺乳头状癌患者尿碘水平较加碘前明显增高（P〈0．05）,并且甲状腺疾病患者的尿碘水平高于对照组（P〈0．05）,甲状腺疾病患者及对照组的尿碘水平均较加碘前增高（P〈0．05）。结论全民普遍食盐加碘10年来,广西所调查地区平均尿碘水平及甲状腺疾病谱均发生了明显变化,碘过量可能是导致毒性结节性甲状腺肿、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎、慢性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎合并乳头状癌及甲状腺乳头状癌发病率增高的环境因素之一。     

An investigation of epidemiologic factors associated with large nodular goiter

BACKGROUND: Sporadic nodular goiter is a common problem in the United States and significant compressive symptoms may occur with progression to a critical size. METHODS: Potential epidemiological variables associated with the development of large unilateral (> or = 50 g) and bilateral (> or = 100 g) nodular goiter were investigated including: age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), family history of thyroid disease, pregnancy at time of diagnosis, insurance status, and tobacco or alcohol use. Data were obtained from an IRB-approved thyroid database and retrospective chart review of consecutive patients operated on for nodular goiter from 1990 through 2005. A univariate and multivariate analysis of epidemiological variables in patients with "large" versus "small" nodular goiter was completed. RESULTS: Of the 488 patients operated on for nodular goiter, 113 (23%) were classified as "large," 43 with unilateral (mean 106 +/- 72 g) and 70 with bilateral enlargement (mean 173 +/- 92 g) and 375 (77%) were classified as "small," 179 with unilateral (18 +/- 10 g) and 196 with bilateral (37 +/- 24 g) enlargement. Based on univariate analysis, African-American race, age > or = 40 years, BMI > or = 30 kg/m2, and lack of insurance were associated with an increased risk of large nodular goiter (P < or = 0.001), whereas alcohol use was protective (P = 0.002). A multivariate analysis revealed that African-American race [adjusted odds ratio (adj. OR) 3.3, 95% CI = 2.0-5.4], age > or = 40 years (adj. OR 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2-3.8), and BMI > or = 30 kg/m2 (adj. OR 2.5, 95% CI = 1.5-4.0) were independently associated with large nodular goiter. No significant differences were observed in gender, family history of thyroid disease, pregnancy, or tobacco use (P > 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: African-American race, obesity, and increasing age are independent risk factors for the development of large nodular goiter. These results may be helpful in determining how best to monitor patients with nodular goiter, with earlier intervention to help prevent progressive enlargement and its sequelae.