Table 3.
Comparison of radioiodine ablation, postoperative thyroglobulin levels, follow-up period, and recurrence rate between those who underwent a routine CND (CND-positive group) and those who did not (CND-negative group)
| Characteristic | CND-positive group (n = 82) | CND-negative group (n = 103) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAI ablation | 0.023 | ||
| Provided | 62 (75.6) | 63 (68.0) | |
| Not provided | 20 (24.4) | 40 (32.0) | |
| Preablation (2 months after surgery) | |||
| TSH level (mIU/L) | 51.0 (30.5–331.0) | 61.5 (33.2–145.0) | 0.959 |
| Stimulated Tg level (μg/L) | <0.5 (<0.5–480.0) | 6.70 (<0.5–140.0) | <0.001 |
| No. of athyroglobulinemia | 42 (51.2) | 23 (22.3) | 0.024 |
| Postablation (8 months after surgery) | |||
| TSH level (mIU/L) | 66.5 (33.8–129.5) | 73.5 (33.3–126.5) | 0.125 |
| Stimulated Tg level (μg/L) | <0.5 (<0.5–480.0) | <0.5 (<0.5–800.0) | 0.787 |
| No. of athyroglobulinemia | 63 (76.8) | 72 (69.9) | 0.292 |
| Nonstimulated Tg level on last visit (μg/L) | <0.5 (<0.5–325.0) | <0.5 (<0.5–495.0) | 0.304 |
| Follow-up period (mo) | 25.5 (9.7–77.1) | 27.1 (10.7–101.2) | 0.307 |
| First recurrence site | 1.000 | ||
| Locoregional | 3 (3.7) | 3 (2.9) | |
| Distant | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.0) | |
Continuous variables are expressed as median (range); categorical variables are expressed as n (%)
CND central neck dissection, Tg thyroglobulin level, TSH thyroid-stimulating hormone