Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2008) 16 P682

ECE2008 Poster Presentations Thyroid (146 abstracts)

Smoking as a risk factor for thyroid volume change and incident goiter in a region of normalized iodine supply

Till Ittermann , Carsten Oliver Schmidt , Dietrich Alte , Axel Kramer , Harald Below , Ulrich John , Henri Wallaschofski & Henry Völzke


Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald, Germany.


Objective: The role of smoking in the pathogenesis of thyroid enlargement is currently under debate. The aim of this paper was to investigate the role of smoking on thyroid volume change and incident goiter for different age-strata in a region with normalized iodine supply.

Methods: The population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) compromised 3300 subjects with complete 5-year examination follow-up. Data from 2484 participants without known thyroid disorder and thyroid medication were analyzed. Goiter was assessed by thyroid ultrasound. Determinants of thyroid volume change and goiter were analyzed by linear and logistic regression, respectively.

Results: Participants aged 20–39 years who smoked at baseline and follow-up had a lower risk of incident goiter (odds ratio: 0.39; CI: (0.18; 0.85)). In this subpopulation age was inversely related to thyroid volume change. In the subjects aged 60–79 years smoking at baseline and follow-up was a risk factor for thyroid volume progression (β: 3.19; CI: (0.66; 5.72)). After exclusion of goitrous individuals at baseline this association disappeared.

Conclusion: We conclude that the normalization of iodine supply in this region has led to a decreased impact of smoking on thyroid volume change and incident goiter. Goitrous smokers elder then 60 years did not benefit from the normalized iodine supply.

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