Endocrine Abstracts

The nodular goiter is the most prevalent thyroid disorder. Its prevalence increases with age and reaches over 70%. The aim of the study was to compare the nodule prevalence in two population-based studies, carried in Bulgaria in 2006 and 2012.

Material and methods: Two thousand four hundred and two subjects (1347 female and 1053 male, age range 20–94 years) were included in 2006 and 2022 (1073 female and 949 male, 20–88 years) in 2012. All subjects filled an interview and underwent thyroid ultrasound. Body weight, height and TSH and TPO Ab were measured. Nodules 5 mm or more were registered and their number – single or multiple and the echo structure – solid, cystic or mixed were recorded.

Results: Nodules were found in 23.4% of the subjects, in 30.1% of the females and 15.0% of the males, P<0.001 in 2006 and in 24.4%, 32.1% of the females and 15.7% of the males (P<0.001) in 2012. No significant difference was found between the two studies. In both studies the nodule prevalence increased with age (females: from 16% in the age group 20–29 to 45% in the over 70, 2006 and from 8% to 52%, 2012; males: from 6% to 29%, 2006 and from 6% to 27%, 2012). In both studies hyperthyroidism was significantly higher in the subjects with nodules, than in those without.

Conclusion: In both studies the thyroid nodule prevalence was similar to the figures cited for other European countries. No differences were observed between the two studies. It might be inferred that the interval between them is too small to demonstrate a change in the population nodule prevalence.