Metabolic Syndrome, Including Hypertension And Impaired Fasting Glucose, Is An Independent Risk Variable For Increased Thyroid Nodule(S) Prevalence In Euthyroid Subjects

Background: The present of thyroid nodule(s) maybe associated with metabolic index. Methods: To investigate the correlation of thyroid nodule(s) with metabolic syndrome or its components in euthyroid subjects, 113 patients with newly diagnosed thyroid nodule(s) and 113 age-and gender-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Results: Both the level of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and fasting glucose were significantly higher in patients with thyroid nodule(s) than that in health control (P= 0.002; P < 0.001; P < 0.001). Percentage of metabolic syndrome (36.28%), hypertension (51.33%) and impaired fasting glucose (27.43%) were also significantly higher in patients with thyroid nodule(s) than those without (12.39%, 30.09% and 11.50%) (P < 0.001, P= 0.001, P= 0.002). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that higher prevalence of thyroid nodule(s) was associated with increased incidence of hypertension (OR= 2.17; 95% CI: 1.24, 3.80) and impaired fasting glucose (OR= 2.46; 95% CI: 1.19, 5.10). Meanwhile, the association between the number of nodules and impaired fasting glucose were found (P= 0.016). Conclusions: Patients with metabolic syndrome have significantly increased prevalence of thyroid nodule(s). Meanwhile, hypertension and impaired fasting glucose are the most related metabolic parameters as the risk variables for the increased prevalence of thyroid nodule(s). In addition, impaired fasting glucose is associated with the number of nodules.