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Association between lifestyle and anthropometric parameters and thyroid nodule features

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Abstract

Purpose

Thyroid nodularity has been associated with obesity, but data regarding associations of body composition parameters with specific ultrasound features of thyroid nodules are lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess associations between thyroid nodule ultrasound characteristics, lifestyle, and anthropometric parameters.

Subjects and methods

This was a cross-sectional study in the general apparently healthy population of Northern Greece. Thyroid ultrasound data together with medical history, demographic, and anthropometric characteristics were individually recorded. Body composition was evaluated using bioelectrical impedance.

Results

Three hundred and six subjects [215 females (70.3%), aged 20–83 years] were included. Ultrasound revealed one or more thyroid nodules in 168 subjects (54.9%). Subjects with thyroid nodules were more frequently females (p = 0.033), older (p < 0.001) and had higher fat mass (p = 0.011), total body fat percentage (p < 0.001) and waist circumference (p = 0.045) than subjects without nodules. In logistic regression analyses, age and female gender were the only independent predictors of presence of thyroid nodules, as well as specific sonographic features. Additionally, total body fat percentage was positively correlated with nodule size (rho = 0.210, p = 0.006) and was the only independent predictor of hypoechoic thyroid nodule(s) and peripheral vascularity, while lack of exercise was predictive of internal vascularity.

Conclusions

Body fat accumulation and lack of exercise, used as surrogate markers of sedentary lifestyle, influence thyroid nodule size and could predict some ultrasonographic characteristics, like hypoechoicity and internal vascularity. Therefore, routine thyroid examination of obese patients and promotion of active lifestyle may be warranted to prevent thyroid nodule formation and possibly progression to malignancy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all persons who participated in the study. We also express our appreciation for their contribution to Dr. Maria Boudina, Dr. Zadalla Mouslech, Dr. Kalliopi Skoupra, Dr Maria Poulasouchidou, Dr. Alexandra Chrisoulidou and Dr. Zoi Efstathiadou. We gratefully thank the owners of Cultural and Educational Center “G. & H. KRASSAS” as well as Dormend Company and the Hellenic Endocrine Society for their kind support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology-Endocrine Oncology, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Grigorios Panagiotou, Despina Komninou, George Linardos, Eleni Karoglou, Leonidas Duntas, Konstantinos Tziomalos & Kalliopi Pazaitou-Panayiotou

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Panagiotis Anagnostis, Maria Somali & Marina Kita

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  1. Grigorios Panagiotou
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  2. Despina Komninou
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  3. Panagiotis Anagnostis
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Correspondence to Kalliopi Pazaitou-Panayiotou.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Panagiotou, G., Komninou, D., Anagnostis, P. et al. Association between lifestyle and anthropometric parameters and thyroid nodule features. Endocrine 56, 560–567 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-017-1285-6

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