Denham M J, Wills E J
Gerontology. 1980;26(3):160-6. doi: 10.1159/000212409.
A quarter of the thyroid gland obtained at post-mortem examination from a group of elderly inpatients were nodular. There was a significant preponderance of women with goitre, but no relationship to age. The incidence of hyperthyroidism was increased in patients with nodular glands. There was no correlation between the weight of the thyroid gland, the age of the patient and the free-thyroxine index. Histological examination of macroscopically normal glands showed tiny follicles, microscopic colloid nodules and fibrosis. Nodular glands had the features of long-standing colloid nodular goitre. Focal lymphocytic thyroiditis was observed in a fifth of the glands. Microscopic evidence of altered function was common but could not always be correlated with the results of the thyroid function studies.
在一组老年住院患者尸检时获取的甲状腺组织中，四分之一呈结节状。甲状腺肿女性明显居多，但与年龄无关。结节性甲状腺患者甲状腺功能亢进的发生率增加。甲状腺重量、患者年龄与游离甲状腺素指数之间无相关性。对肉眼正常的甲状腺组织进行组织学检查，发现有微小滤泡、显微镜下可见的胶体结节和纤维化。结节性甲状腺具有长期存在的胶体结节性甲状腺肿的特征。五分之一的甲状腺组织观察到局灶性淋巴细胞性甲状腺炎。甲状腺功能改变的微观证据很常见，但并不总是与甲状腺功能研究结果相关。
