Table 2. Thyroid volume, echogenicity, and presence of nodules in oldest old individuals.
| 80-89 years | ≥ 90 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|||||
| Normal TSH | Increased TSH | P | Normal TSH | Increased TSH | P | |
| Thyroid volume (mL) – Mean ± SD | (n = 35) | (n = 19) | (n = 17) | (n = 10) | ||
| Total | 10.07 ± 3.60 | 9.18 ± 6.59 | 0.105a | 11.50 ± 4.13 | 7.37 ± 3.29 | 0.012* |
| < 6 mL (n; %) | 6; 17.1% | 8; 42.1% | 0.058b | 2; 11.8% | 4; 40.0% | 0.154b |
| > 20 mL (n; %) | 0; 0.0% | 1; 5.3% | 0.352b | 0; 0.0% | 0;0.0% | - |
| Echogenicity – (n; %) | ||||||
| ECO1 | 22; 62.9% | 4; 21.1% | 0.001c | 8; 47.1% | 3; 30% | 0.602b |
| ECO2 | 11; 31.4% | 7; 36.8% | 4; 23.5% | 2; 20% | ||
| ECO3 | 2; 5.7% | 8; 42.1% | 5; 29.4% | 5; 50% | ||
| Nodules – (n; %) | ||||||
| Yes | 23; 65.7% | 7; 36.8% | 0.080c | 14; 82.4% | 7; 70% | > 0.999b |
| No | 12; 34.3% | 12; 63.2% | 3; 17.6% | 3; 30% | ||
* Student’s t test; a Mann-Whitney test; b Fisher’s exact test; c chi-square test.
ECO1: isoechoic (the echogenicity of the parenchyma was similar to that of the submandibular gland); ECO2: mildly hypoechoic (the parenchyma was hypoechoic compared with the submandibular gland, but hyperechoic in relation to the cervical muscles); ECO3: hypoechoic (the parenchyma was isoechoic or hypoechoic when compared with the cervical muscles).