Follow-up of thyroid ultrasonography in patients with hemodialysis

Kim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Bo Ra; Seo, Yeong Mi; Cho, Yoon Young; Baek, Jong Ha; Kim, Kyong Young; Kim, Soo Kyung; Woo, Seung Hoon; Jung, Jung Hwa; Jung, Jaehoon; Hahm, Jong Ryeal

doi:2017.34.1.69

J Yeungnam Med Sci > Volume 34(1); 2017 > Article

Original Article

Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine 2017;34(1):69-74.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2017.34.1.69 Published online June 30, 2017.

Follow-up of thyroid ultrasonography in patients with hemodialysis

Hyun Jung Kim, Bo Ra Kim, Yeong Mi Seo, Yoon Young Cho, Jong Ha Baek, Kyong Young Kim, Soo Kyung Kim, Seung Hoon Woo, Jung Hwa Jung, Jaehoon Jung, Jong Ryeal Hahm

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. jrhahm@gnu.ac.kr
²Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
³Department of Nursing, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Jinju, Korea.
⁴Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Korea.
⁵Department of Otolaryngology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease is considered a risk factor for thyroid nodules as well as thyroid dysfunction such as hypothyroidism. Among patients on hemodialysis, we assessed the size of thyroid nodule and goiter at baseline and 1 year later with ultrasonography. METHODS: We prospectively selected 47 patients with hemodialysis at January 2012 and reviewed their medical records. We checked goiter and thyroid nodules at January 2012 and December 2012. RESULTS: In the hemodialysis patients (n=47), 24 patients (51.1%) had thyroid nodules and 33 patients (70.2%) had goiter at baseline. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) was higher in patients with thyroid nodules (204.4±102.9 vs. 129.9±93.6 pg/mL, p=0.01). Thyroid ultrasonography was conducted in 29 patients after 1 year. The thickness of the thyroid isthmus increased (2.8±1.6 vs. 3.2±1.9 mm, p=0.003), but the number of nodules did not change (1.2±1.9 vs. 1.4±2.0, p=0.109). PTH was associated with the enlargement of thyroid nodules significantly through logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Thyroid goiter and nodules in hemodialysis patients were more prevalent than in the general population. PTH influenced the production of thyroid nodules in hemodialysis patients. Regular examination with thyroid ultrasonography and thyroid function test should be considered in hemodialysis patients.

Key Words: Goiter, Hemodialysis, Thyroid nodule, Ultrasonography