Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 8, 07100 Sassari, ItalyIstituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB)Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, c/o Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, ItalyLaboratory of GeneticsNational Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USADepartment of Biochemical ScienceUniversity of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 8, 07100 Sassari, ItalyIstituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB)Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, c/o Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, ItalyLaboratory of GeneticsNational Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USADepartment of Biochemical ScienceUniversity of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Eur J Endocrinol. 2014 Jul;171(1):143-9. doi: 10.1530/EJE-14-0182.
To assess thyroid function, the presence of thyroid antibodies, as well as the presence of goiter and/or nodules in subjects without a prior diagnosis of thyroid disorders, in a region with mild to moderate iodine deficiency.
This cross-sectional study is based on data obtained from first and third visits of participants in the Sardinian survey. We performed two different analyses. In one, we assessed the prevalence of unknown thyroid dysfunctions among 6252 subjects who had a medical examination and blood collection for assays of thyrotropin, free thyroxine, and antibodies against thyroperoxidase (AbTPO) and against thyroglobulin (AbTG). In a second analysis, we evaluated the frequency of undiagnosed goiter and nodules among 3377 subjects who had a thyroid ultrasound scan. Subjects were excluded if they had a previous history of thyroid disorders or presence of goiter and/or nodules, or thyroid surgery, or if they were taking drugs that could impair thyroid function.
We found a low prevalence of overt thyroid dysfunction (hyperthyroidism 0.4% and hypothyroidism 0.7%). The rates of subclinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were 4.7 and 2.4% respectively. Almost 16% of participants were positive for at least one antibody and 5.2% for both AbTG and AbTPO. Nodules were detected in 17.4% of subjects and the prevalence of goiter was 22.1%.
Undiagnosed biochemical thyroid dysfunctions, unknown nodules, and goiter were common in subjects living in a mild to moderate iodine-deficient area. In this community, thyroid disorders often go undetected and screening could be reasonable in subjects at a higher risk.
在碘轻度至中度缺乏的地区，评估无甲状腺疾病既往诊断的受试者的甲状腺功能、甲状腺抗体的存在情况，以及甲状腺肿和/或结节的存在情况。
本横断面研究基于撒丁岛调查参与者的首次和第三次就诊的数据。我们进行了两项不同的分析。在一项分析中，我们评估了 6252 名接受促甲状腺激素、游离甲状腺素和甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体（AbTPO）和甲状腺球蛋白抗体（AbTG）检测的受试者中未知甲状腺功能障碍的患病率。在第二项分析中，我们评估了 3377 名接受甲状腺超声检查的受试者中未确诊甲状腺肿和结节的频率。如果受试者有甲状腺疾病病史或存在甲状腺肿和/或结节、甲状腺手术史，或正在服用可能影响甲状腺功能的药物，则将其排除在外。
我们发现显性甲状腺功能障碍（甲状腺功能亢进症 0.4%和甲状腺功能减退症 0.7%）的患病率较低。亚临床甲状腺功能减退症和甲状腺功能亢进症的发生率分别为 4.7%和 2.4%。近 16%的参与者至少有一种抗体呈阳性，5.2%的参与者同时存在 AbTG 和 AbTPO 阳性。17.4%的受试者发现结节，甲状腺肿的患病率为 22.1%。
在生活在碘轻度至中度缺乏地区的受试者中，未确诊的生化甲状腺功能障碍、未知的结节和甲状腺肿很常见。在这个社区，甲状腺疾病经常未被发现，对高危人群进行筛查可能是合理的。
