Development of hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy: A population-based study.

PURPOSE: Hypothyroidism is a known possibility after hemithyroidectomy, with a highly variable incidence in the literature ranging from 8 to 60 %. Incidence of hypothyroidism after hemithyroidectomy was evaluated with a secondary aim to assess incidence in patients with Hashimoto's disease. MATERIALS & METHODS: A retrospective study using the TriNetX global federated research network was performed. We included patients within the last 15 years that were ≥18 years of age and had Current Procedural Terminology codes for hemithyroidectomy. Patients were excluded if they had a total or completion thyroidectomy at any time, a history of thyroid cancer, were preoperatively either on levothyroxine, diagnosed with hypothyroidism, or had a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone ≥ 4 m[IU]/L. We assessed the 3 month incidence of hypothyroidism postoperatively based on the International Classification of Diseases code, TSH ≥ 4 m[IU]/L, or taking levothyroxine after surgery. RESULTS: 6845 patients met the inclusion criteria. Most of the cohort was female (67 %) and white (63 %). The mean age at surgery for this population was 54 ± 14.8 years. During the 15 years of data, we found the 3-month incidence of hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy to be 23.58 %. The median time to develop the disease was 41.8 months. A subgroup analysis of those with Hashimoto's revealed a 3-month incidence of 31.1 % of patients developing hypothyroidism after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study gives additional insight into the incidence of hypothyroidism after hemithyroidectomy. This will help improve perioperative patient counseling and management.

Clinical impact of coexistent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on central lymph node metastasis in low- to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma: The MASTER study.

BACKGROUND: The clinicopathological impact of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma patients is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathologic differences and risk factors for central lymph node metastasis based on the presence of coexistent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis in patients with low- to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: The medical records of 1,022 patients with low- to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent lobectomy and central neck dissection between June 2020 and March 2022 were reviewed. Differences in clinicopathological factors were analyzed in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma with or without chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Furthermore, risk factors for central lymph node metastasis in patients with low- to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma with or without chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 1,022 patients with low to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma, 102 (10.0%) had coexisting chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Female sex (odds ratio = 3.536, P = .001, 95% confidence interval 1.781-8.069), a multifocal tumor (odds ratio = 2.162, P = .001, 95% confidence interval 1.358-3.395), and angiolymphatic invasion (odds ratio = 0.365, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 0.203-0.625) were independent factors associated with patients who had coexisting chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis compared to those without chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. There were 358 (35%) patients who had central lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed that younger age (odds ratio = 0.667, P = .013, 95% confidence interval 0.482-0.555), male sex (odds ratio = 0.549, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 0.402-0.751), tumor size >1 cm (odds ratio = 1.454, P = .022, 95% confidence interval 1.053-2.003), extrathyroidal extension (odds ratio = 1.874, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 1.414-2.486), and angiolymphatic invasion (odds ratio = 3.094, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 2.339-4.101) were risk factors for central lymph node metastasis. Angiolymphatic invasion (odds ratio = 11.184, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 3.277-46.199) was identified as the sole independent risk factor for central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma with coexisting chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that patients with low to intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma with coexistent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis exhibit different clinical features than patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma without chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Additionally, the presence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis may be considered a potential factor against central lymph node metastasis.

Outcomes of Preoperative Medical Therapy for Thyroidectomy in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroidectomy provides definitive treatment for autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) often resulting in improved quality of life. Historically, patients with AITD undergoing thyroidectomy have increased rates of postoperative hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. We investigated the outcomes of preoperative medications in patients with AITD undergoing thyroidectomy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent thyroidectomy for AITD at a single institution from 2015 to 2021. Surgical outcomes and perioperative laboratory values were analyzed by type of AITD and type of preoperative medical treatment: none, saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI), corticosteroids, or both SSKI and corticosteroids. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients underwent thyroidectomy for AITD and were included in analysis: 50 received no preoperative medications, 40 received SSKI, 20 received corticosteroids, and 13 received both. Seventy-six patients had Graves' disease and 47 had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. There were no significant differences in blood loss, operative time, wound complications, hematoma, or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury for patients treated with preoperative corticosteroids compared to those who were not. Patients who received corticosteroids and patients with Graves' disease more commonly had at least one instance of hypocalcemia postoperatively (P < 0.01, P = 0.01), although only on postoperative day 1 was mean calcium < 8.5 mg/dL. There was no difference in rate of transient or permanent hypoparathyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received corticosteroids preoperatively had no increased risk of complications. They did have mildly lower calcium levels in the early postoperative period, although no difference in hypoparathyroidism. Further exploration is warranted to investigate the impact of preoperative corticosteroids on operative difficulty, quality of life, and autoantibody clearance.

More aggressive biological behavior in pediatric than in adult papillary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains a common malignancy of the endocrine system in children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the differences in clinical characteristics between children and adults with PTC. METHODS: A total of 360 patients [ 308 adults (≥20 years) and 52 children and adolescents (<20 years)] with PTC who underwent thyroid surgery in our center from 2017 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Statistical analysis and comparisons of the clinicopathological data and tumor characteristics between children and adults were performed. RESULTS: Among all enrolled patients, the mean tumor diameter was 26.21 ± 12.72 mm in the pediatric group, while that in the adult group was 11.62 ± 10.21 mm, which was a significant difference (p < 0.001). Pediatric patients were more prone to central lymph node metastasis (90.38% vs. 49.35%, p<0.001), lateral lymph node metastasis (78.85% vs. 45.7%, p<0.001), capsular invasion (90.38% vs. 63.96%, p<0.001) and extrathyroidal extension (61.54% vs. 15.26%, p＜0.001) than adult patients. However, the pediatric group had a lower BRAFV600E mutation rate (54.76% vs. 87.7%, p < 0.001) and lower incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (15.38% vs. 30.84%, p = 0.023) than the adult group. There were no significant differences in clinicopathological factors, such as sex, multifocality and hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients were more likely to present with advanced disease at diagnosis, including larger tumor volume, more lymph node metastasis, more extensive local invasion, and lower rates of BRAF mutation and concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Therefore, appropriate surgical management and comprehensive treatment decisions are needed for pediatric patients with PTC.

Is total thyroidectomy more difficult in Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

AIM: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is accepted as a difficult thyroidectomy for surgeons in practice, but there is not enough data in the literature to support this. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether HT belongs to difficult thyroidectomy class or not. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 614 patients who undergoing total thyroidectomy were evaluated. 270 patients with factors that prolong the operation were excluded from the study. Group 1 consisted of 132 patients reported as benign diseases accompanied by HT. Group 2 consisted of 212 patients reported as other benign diseases with no HT as a result of pathology. Patients were statistically analyzed for age, sex, finding for (Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve) RLN, time for reaching RLN, time for operation, transient or permanent RLN injury and other postoperative complications. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in terms of age, sex, time for operation and time for reaching RLN (respectively; p=0.01, p=0.007, p<0.001 and p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of finding for RLN rates, transient or permanent RLN injury and other postoperative complications (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The mean time for operation and mean time for reaching RLN in patients with HT was significantly longer than in patients with other benign pathology results. It has been scientifically shown that HT should be among the causes of difficult thyroidectomy. This result can provide a legal advantage for surgeons who face such a sad complication. KEY WORDS: Hashimoto thyroiditis, Recurrent laryngeal nerve, Thyroiditis.

A nomogram based on the risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma coexistent with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis(LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) coexistent with Hashimoto's thyroiditis(HT). METHODS: The clinical data of patients who underwent thyroid operation between November 2016 and January 2020 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The association between sonographic features and the risk factors of cervical LNM in PTC coexistent with HT was analyzed and a nomogram based on the risk factors was built. RESULTS: Age, US features as calcification, blood flow type, distance between thyroid nodule and fibrous capsule were risk factors of cervical LNM(P < 0.05).Size, SWVmax and SWVmean of thyroid nodule, SWVratio between thyroid nodule and thyroid gland were higher in PTCs with LNM than those without LNM(P < 0.05). The ROC curve showed that the cutoff value of SWVratio for predicting LNM was 1.29 (Sensitivity = 0.806, Specificity = 0.775, AUC = 0.823, P < 0.001). Based on the risk factors above, a relevant nomogram prediction model was established. The model verification showed that the C-index of the modeling set was 0.814, indicating that the nomogram model had good predicted accuracy. CONCLUSION: Based on the risk factors above, a relevant nomogram prediction model was established. The model verification showed that the C-index of the modeling set was 0.814, indicating that the nomogram model had good predicted accuracy. The nomogram based on the risk factors above had good prediction ability, which could optimize thyroidectomy and cervical lymph node dissection and improving prognosis.

The evaluation of locoregional tumoral involvement in the cooccurrence of hashimoto thyroiditis with papillary thyroid cancer: a case controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma PTC is the most prevalent of all thyroid carcinomas. On the other hand, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), as part of the spectrum of autoimmune thyroid diseases, is a major cause of thyroid hypofunction worldwide. Several studies have aimed to indicate a possible correlation between PTC and HT over the years. This study aims to investigate the correlation between HT disease and PTC tumor invasion rate. METHOD: In the present cross-sectional study, PTC patients with HT were selected among patients referred to the surgical ward of Shariati hospital from 2016 to 2019 and compared in terms of tumor invasion and central LN dissection. Also, a similar group of PTC patients without HT undergoing total thyroidectomy was selected for comparison. The tumor invasion rate was assessed based on invasion indices obtained from postoperative permanent pathology specimens. These indices included tumor type and size, number of involved LNs, lymphovascular involvement, perineural involvement, thyroid capsule involvement, multifocal or unifocal tumor, extrathyroidal proliferation, marginal status, and necrosis. Data were obtained and compared in the two groups with SPSS version 22.0 software. RESULTS: Based on the postoperative pathology reports, 50 (56.2%) PTC patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were compared against 39 PTC patients without Hashimoto thyroiditis. No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding tumor invasion factors such as multifocality, lymphovascular invasion, marginal invasion, extrathyroidal invasion, capsular invasion, and necrosis. CONCLUSION: HT could not be mentioned as an aggravating factor of PTC invasion based on the invasion factors evaluated in pathology specimens.

Perioperative outcomes in children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis undergoing total thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) affects 1-2 % of the pediatric population. In adults with HT, thyroidectomy is considered challenging and prone to postoperative complications due to the chronic inflammatory process. However, the complications of thyroidectomy among children with HT have not been established. The objective of our study was to evaluate whether children with HT undergoing total thyroidectomy for presumed thyroid cancer have higher complication rates than children without HT. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of children who underwent total thyroidectomy by high-volume pediatric otolaryngologists between 2014 and 2021. RESULTS: 111 patients met inclusion criteria, 15 of these were diagnosed with HT preoperatively. Operative time and length of admission were similar among the groups. Postoperatively, patients with HT were more likely to have low levels of parathyroid hormone (60 % vs 26 %, p = 0.014) and transient hypocalcemia compared to non-HT patients, present with symptomatic hypocalcemia (67 % vs 27 %, p = 0.006), demonstrate EKG changes (20 % vs 6.3 %, p = 0.035) within 24 h of surgery, and to require both oral and intravenous calcium supplements (80 % vs 35 %, p = 0.001 and 60 % vs 22 % p = 0.004 respectively). Persistent hypocalcemia at 6 months follow-up, and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis rates were similar between groups. Parathyroid tissue was found in the thyroid specimen of 9 (60 %) HT patients vs 34 (35 %) non-HT patients (p = 0.069). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of permanent complications among children with HT following thyroidectomy is low. However, patients with HT are more likely to develop symptomatic transient hypocalcemia and to require oral and intravenous calcium supplements in the immediate post-operative period compared to non-HT patients. Tailoring a perioperative treatment protocol to optimize calcium levels may be considered for children with HT.

Prognostic value of the preoperative and early trends in postoperative serum thyroglobulin antibody levels among patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

BACKGROUND: Thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb) was generally used as a prognostic marker of papillary thyroid cancer(PTC) only after total thyroidectomy, but its value in PTC patients with concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis(HT) is unclear. We aimed to assess the prognostic significance of the serum TgAb in these patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included PTC patients and pathologically proven HT from 2007-2016. The Cox proportional hazards model with restricted cubic spline was used to analyze the association between TgAb and structural recurrence, and then survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of 839 patients enrolled, 48 recurrences were identified during a median follow-up of 64 months. Macrocarcinoma and lymph node metastasis were significantly associated with higher TgAb (P = 0.006, 0.002), but no significant difference was found for any other characteristics. An increasing preoperative TgAb level up to 2000 IU/ml was associated with shorter recurrence-free survival(RFS) (P < 0.001), and the 5-year RFS rates in patients with TgAb ≤400, 400-800 and >800 IU/ml were 97.3%, 93.2% and 85.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). The difference was found even after adjusting for potential risk factors (P < 0.001). Of 337 PTC patients who were treated with lobectomy and had available TgAb data at the first year after surgery, a significant decrease (≥50%) in postoperative TgAb was achieved in 41.8% patients, who had a favorable prognosis compared with others (5-year RFS rate 98.5% vs. 92.0%, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative serum TgAb seem to effectively stratify PTC patients with concomitant HT who had high risk for recurrence, and the early postoperative trends of TgAb was a good prognostic marker for these patients who treated with lobectomy.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Is Associated With Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Classical Papillary Thyroid Cancer: Analysis from a High-Volume Single-Center Experience.

Purpose: Central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) is regarded as a predictor for local recurrence in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) but the role of prophylactic central lymph node dissection (CLND) is controversial. Our study aims to identify the clinical factors associated with CLNM and develop a nomogram for making individualized clinical decisions. Method: The perioperative data of 1,054 consecutive patients between Jan 2019 and April 2021, in our center, were reviewed and analyzed. A total of 747 patients with histopathologically confirmed classical PTC were included as the training cohort and 374 (50% training cases) patients were randomly selected to build a validating cohort via internal bootstrap analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the correlation between clinicopathological characteristics and CLNM. Result: In the training cohort, 33.6% (251/747) of patients with classical PTC were confirmed with CLNM. And the CLNM was determined in 31.4% (168/535) of non-Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients versus 39.2% (83/212) in HT patients (p=0.043). Four factors including gender, age, size, and HT status were confirmed significantly associated with CLNM. The established nomogram showed good discrimination and consistency with a C-index of 0.703, supported by the internal validation cohort with a C-index of 0.701. The decision curve analysis showed the nomogram has promising clinical feasibility. Conclusion: Our study suggested that classical PTC patients with features like male gender, age<55 years old, tumor size>1cm, and HT condition had a higher risk of CLNM. And the nomogram we developed can help surgeons make individualized clinical decisions in classical PTC patients during preoperative and intraoperative management.

Primary Burkitt lymphoma of the thyroid associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Primary Burkitt lymphoma of the thyroid is an extremely rare entity with only a few reported cases. A female patient in her 70s with Hashimoto's thyroiditis presented with a 2-month history of progressive left-sided neck swelling. Ultrasound examination revealed a multinodular goitre and fine needle aspiration (FNA) showed no signs of malignancy. The rapid growth of the thyroid mass raised the concern of a lymphoproliferative process. After left thyroid lobectomy and histopathological examination, the diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma was made and the patient was included in a randomised study providing chemotherapy following a dose adjusted EPOCH-R regimen. Clinical remission was reached after 6 cycles of chemotherapy. There were no signs of relapse on follow-up, 1.5 years after the end of the treatment. Fast growing thyroid nodules in HT warrant a high index of suspicion. Despite no signs of malignancy after FNA cytology, these nodules may need further investigations.

Incidentally discovered papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for benign disease.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of thyroid carcinoma has grown significantly over the last few decades. A possible explanation is the increased diagnosis of small thyroid microcarcinoma (TMc). TMc reach a maximum diameter of ≤1 cm, identified during histopathology examination following a thyroidectomy performed for reasons not pertaining to malignancy. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMc) according to the benign pathology that refers patients to surgery and its trend evolution. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis of 1815 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for non-malignant diseases in the 2005-2020 period. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 53.5 years, with a higher proportion of women (1481, 82.1%). A total of 167 PTMc (9.3%) were incidentally discovered. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, showing no differences in prevalence according to sex or age in patients with PTMc compared to final benign histology. Multinodular goiter increases the risk of PTMc with an odds ratio of 2.2 (p = 0.001) compared to Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease (GD). There is a statistically significant increase in the incidence of PTMc in the group operated in the 2017-2020 vs. 2005-2008 period (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of PTMc in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for the benign disease was 9.3%. Thyroid nodular hyperplasia was the most frequent benign pathology associated with PTMc compared to Hashimoto's or GD. Gender and age were not correlated with the prevalence of TMc. Over the years, surgical findings of PTMc have grown, particularly in the 2017-2020 period.

Giant cervical goiter in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: A case report.

A giant cervical goiter, defined as a thyroid mass larger than 8 cm in diameter, is usually a nodular or adenomatous goiter. A giant cervical goiter can also be caused by hyperthyroidism (i.e., Hashimoto's thyroiditis). The surgical indications for patients with Hashimoto's disease include suspected malignant tumors, persistent symptoms related to the disease, or persistent enlargement of the goiter. We herein describe a woman who developed symptoms of compression from a thyroid tumor, the volume of which was almost the largest reported in the relevant literature to date. The bilateral lobes of the giant thyroid tumor were removed by total en bloc excision. We protected the bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve and preserved the bilateral upper and lower parathyroid glands in situ. The excised left lobe tumor was 16 × 9 × 5.5 cm, whereas the right lobe tumor was 12 × 8 × 4 cm. The pathological diagnosis was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Although surgical excision is difficult, it is still the main treatment modality for giant goiters in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and can help to reduce the occurrence of complications.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis on outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer revisited: experience from South East Asia.

INTRODUCTION: The association between Hashimoto Thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains uncertain. HT, the most common inflammatory condition of the thyroid, is postulated to increase the risk of PTC and yet confer cancer-retarding effects. In this study, we aim to evaluate the prevalence of HT in patients surgically treated for PTC and evaluate the long-term prognostic implications. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 521 patients with PTC who underwent hemi- or total thyroidectomy between January 2000 and December 2018 at a tertiary referral centre. Patients were categorised into two group: group A (n=402) consists of patients with PTC without HT, whereas group B (n=119) consists of patients with PTC and HT. Demographic and clinicopathological details, recurrence rates and overall survival were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate for clinical factors associated with HT. RESULTS: A total of 521 patients with a mean age of 46.7 years were evaluated. HT was detected in 22.8% of patients with PTC. On multivariate analysis, presence of HT was associated with a lower incidence of extrathyroidal extension (hazard ratio: 0.59, 95%confidence interval 0.37-0.95). Also, patients with HT tend to have fewer cycles of radioactive iodine and correspondingly have excellent response to treatment. However, no differences in recurrence rates and overall survival were detected. CONCLUSIONS: One-fifth of patients with PTC have coexisting HT. These patients tend to have less-aggressive tumour features such as extrathyroidal extension. However, the effect of HT on recurrence and overall survival appears to be inconsequential clinically.

Quality of Life After Thyroidectomy for Hashimoto Disease in Patients With Persistent Symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether thyroidectomy improves quality of life in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis with persistent symptoms despite biochemical euthyroidism. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients undergoing thyroidectomy for Hashimoto thyroiditis at our institution between 2014 and 2018. The following variables were collected: age, race, body mass index, preoperative symptoms, preoperative thyroid peroxidase antibody titer, thyroglobulin antibody titer, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, specimen weight, and histologic presence of thyroiditis. Outcomes included general health score on the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health and responses to a questionnaire addressing postoperative disease management. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients were included in the study, 18 of whom were female with a mean age of 48 years. The majority of patients were Caucasian. There were no significant differences between the postoperative general health scores of the patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and scores from a healthy control population (66.9 vs 74.1; 95% CI: -16.9 to +2.5, P = .16). There were also no differences between groups within the 7 SF-36 subscores. Elevation in preoperative thyroperoxidase antibody correlated with lower reported postoperative energy levels (r = -0.63, P = .016) and emotional well-being (r = -.55, P = .041); 87.5% of respondents reported being moderately or extremely happy with their decision to proceed with surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis who undergo thyroidectomy is equivalent to the general population, and the majority are satisfied with surgery. Thyroidectomy is a consideration for patients with persistent symptoms despite optimization on medical therapy.

Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis and Aggressiveness of Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) is a common cause of hypothyroidism. Among adults with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), HT appears to be associated with less severe disease burden. In the absence of information regarding HT and disease burden among children with DTC, we assessed the relationship between pediatric DTC severity and HT. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. METHODS: Charts from 90 pediatric patients who underwent surgical removal of DTC from 2002 to 2017 at tertiary-care children's hospital were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, surgical, pathology, and outcome details were compared between patients with and without HT. Consistency among diagnostic modalities of HT was also evaluated. RESULTS: Median age at presentation was 16.0 years (range 4.2-18.9 years). Twenty-two patients were male (24%). Forty-five patients (50%) had HT based on presence of thyroid autoantibodies and/or surgical pathology findings and 45 patients did not have HT. Patients with HT had increased odds of microcalcifications (odds ratio [OR]: 3.01, P = .031) and decreased odds of palpable nodules (OR: 0.212, P = .024) and T2 lesions (vs. T1) (OR: 0.261, P = .015) compared with non-HT. No significant differences in demographics and the incidence of multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node or pulmonary metastases, disease recurrence, or radioactive iodine treatment were found between the two groups. Thyroglobulin/thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies and surgical pathology indicative of HT were concordant in 82.4% (κ = 0.635, P < .001). CONCLUSION: HT was present in 50% of children with DTC. Patients with DTC and HT presented with smaller tumors compared to non-HT patients. No significant differences in other markers of disease aggressiveness were found between the two groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:1668-1674, 2022.

Comprehensive analysis of the effect of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the diagnostic efficacy of preoperative ultrasonography on cervical lymph node lesions in papillary thyroid cancer.

Purpose: Hashimoto's thyroiditis often leads to reactive hyperplasia of the central compartment lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. However, the effect and clinical significance of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on ultrasonography evaluation for cervical lymph node (LN) lesions remain unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the diagnostic efficacy of preoperative ultrasonography on cervical lymph node lesions in PTC patients. Patients and methods: This study consecutively enrolled 1,874 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and radical cervical lymph node dissection between January 2010 and December 2021. Eligible patients were categorized as with HT and without HT. The diagnostic performance of preoperative ultrasonography for cervical LN lesions (including central LNs and lateral LNs) was evaluated between PTC patients with HT and those without HT, respectively. Results: Among the 1,874 PTC patients, 790 (42.1%) had central cN+ and 1,610 (85.9%) had lateral cN+. Compared with PTC patients without HT, the preoperative US for central LNs displays a higher false-positive rate (27.9% vs. 12.2%, p <0.001) and a lower specificity (72.1% vs. 87.8%, p < 0.001) in PTC patients with HT. Moreover, in PTC patients with HT, the ratio of the absence of fatty hilum in central LNs without metastasis was higher than in PTC patients without HT (13.02% vs. 7.46%, p = 0.013). However, no such differences were observed in lateral LNs. Conclusion: HT will interfere with the preoperative US evaluation for central LNs and increase the incidence of the absence of fatty hilum in central benign LNs. When PTC patients have concomitant HT, clinicians should thoroughly evaluate the central LNs, thereby decreasing the incidence of misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery.

Malignancy Rate of Bethesda Class III Thyroid Nodules Based on the Presence of Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis in Surgical Patients.

Background: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT), may interfere with the accurate cytological diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Recently, HT has been considered a premalignant condition for thyroid cancer development. The diagnosis of atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesions of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) thyroid nodules is challenging and evidence for the malignancy risk of AUS/FLUS thyroid nodules coexisting with CLT is scarce. Therefore, we assessed the malignancy risk of AUS/FLUS thyroid nodules according to the presence of background CLT. Methods: This study included 357 surgically resected thyroid nodules with AUS/FLUS cytology. Cases with concomitant malignant nodules were excluded. CLT was defined based on the pathologic report after thyroid surgery. Results: Among 357 tumors, 130 tumors (36%) were confirmed to have coexisting CLT, and 170 tumors (48%) were determined to be malignant after thyroidectomy. Malignancy rates were similar in both groups (48% in each) regardless of background CLT (62/130 with CLT vs. 108/227 without CLT). In the group with CLT, thyroiditis was more frequent in the final pathology (12% with CLT vs. 1% without CLT, P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, positive BRAFV600E mutation, highly suspicious sonographic features (K-TIRADS 5), and smaller thyroid nodules were significant factors for thyroid malignancies. Conclusion: The malignancy rate of thyroid nodules with AUS/FLUS cytology was comparable irrespective of the presence of underlying CLT.