Body mass and body composition after total thyroidectomy for benign goiters.

To date there are no data available as to whether postmenopausal women who undergo total thyroidectomy for benign euthyroid goiter demonstrate changes in body mass or body composition. We prospectively evaluated 8 postmenopausal women (mean age 57 +/- 7; range 48 to 70 years) who underwent total thyroidectomy for benign goiter. All patients were euthyroid preoperatively (serum free thyroxine [FT4] 12.7 +/- 0.6 pmol/L and serum thyrotropin [TSH] 0.98 +/- 0.2 mU/L) and were commenced on adequate thyroxine replacement immediately postoperatively in order to maintain a serum TSH within the normal range (0.5-4 mU/L). Body mass, body composition, and thyroid function were assessed preoperatively, and at 4 and 12 months postoperatively. Body composition was assessed by anthropometry and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (Lunar DPX-L scanner). Eight healthy postmenopausal women without evidence of thyroid disease matched for age, weight, and estrogen therapy who were followed over the same period were used as controls. All patients were maintained in a euthyroid status throughout the study. No significant changes in body mass or any parameter of body composition were demonstrated at 4 and 12 months postoperatively. Similar findings were recorded in our control group. We conclude that total thyroidectomy in euthyroid postmenopausal women with benign goiter does not result in a significant change in either body mass or body composition if adequate thyroxine replacement is maintained.