Thyroiditis in a jordanian cohort with goiter : results of fine needle thyroid aspirate

Abstract EN

Objective : to determine the prevalence of cytologically proven thyroiditis among patients with goiter referred to Endocrine clinic at King Hussein Medical Center using fine needle thyroid aspirate and to assess thyroid status among those patients.

Methods : case study of patients who underwent fine needle aspirate thyroid biopsy for different types of goiter from January 1995 to June 2004 was conducted.

Fine needle aspirate thyroid biopsy was taken using a 20cc syringe on a pistol gun apparatus under aseptic technique.

All reports including the diagnoses of thyroiditis, autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis), lymphocytic thyroiditis, and focal thyroiditis were included.

Thyroid function tests and thyroid antibodies were also reported in some patients.

Results : A total of 1934 patients underwent fine needle aspirate thyroid biopsy during the study period, 279 cases were excluded because of inadequacy of the sample, missing reports and repeated sample in some patients with the same diagnosis.

Those actually included in the study were 1655 (females 1475, males 180, male : female ratio was 8 : 1).

Thyroiditis was reported in 323 patients (females 93.5 %), giving a total prevalence of 19.5 % ; 11.7 % for males and 20.5 % for females.

Hashimoto', lymphocytic and unclassified thyroiditis were found in 66.25 %, 22.6 % and 8.6 % of the patients respectively.

Conclusion : has himoto and lymphocytic thyroiditis are the commonest causes of thyroiditis in Jordanian patients with goiter, females being affected more commonly than males.

Fine needle aspirate thyroid biopsy of thyroid gland is an important tool of investigation for thyroid disorders in general and thyroiditis in patients with goiter.

Long term follow up of patients with thyroiditis should be adopted.