Table 2.

Quality-of-life comparisons at baseline, early and late follow-up among patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules

ThyPro-39 QOL scale	Baselinea	Earlyb	Latec
Goiter
Molecular test benign	12.0 ± 15.0d (n = 102)	11.4 ± 11.9 (n = 71)	11.3 ± 13.3 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	21.1 ± 23.7 (n = 45)	11.1 ± 15.5e (n = 9)	–
Anxiety
Molecular test benign	24.8 ± 17.8d (n = 102)	19.9 ± 22.1 (n = 71)	20.2 ± 22.8 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	33.9 ± 26.6 (n = 45)	24.6 ± 19.1 (n = 9)	–
Depression
Molecular test benign	24.0 ± 17.8d (n = 102)	21.6 ± 15.0 (n = 71)	22.4 ± 17.3 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	36.6 ± 22.6 (n = 45)	27.0 ± 15.1 (n = 9)	–
Emotional susceptibility
Molecular test benign	26.3 ± 19.1 (n = 102)	24.3 ± 19.3 (n = 71)	25.9 ± 20.0 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	31.8 ± 22.4 (n = 45)	33.0 ± 18.9 (n = 9)	–
Impaired social life
Molecular test benign	14.5 ± 18.6 (n = 102)	13.1 ± 16.5 (n = 71)	11.6 ± 16.4 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	19.2 ± 23.0 (n = 45)	11.1 ± 17.2 (n = 9)	–
Impaired daily life
Molecular test benign	10.5 ± 16.4 (n = 102)	9.0 ± 14.8 (n = 71)	9.4 ± 14.1 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	15.4 ± 21.0 (n = 45)	7.2 ± 9.2 (n = 9)	–
Appearance
Molecular test benign	18.7 ± 23.0 (n = 102)	13.3 ± 19.6e (n = 71)	14.3 ± 17.6 (n = 52)
Molecular test suspicious	18.5 ± 21.1 (n = 45)	10.9 ± 19.4 (n = 9)	–

QOL scale scores reported as mean ± standard deviation. Higher score corresponds to worse QOL. In ‘molecular test suspicious’ patients, early QOL assessment was only performed in those who did not undergo thyroidectomy

^aBaseline, 0–4 months after FNA

^bEarly, 4–12 months after FNA

^cLate, 12–24 months after FNA

^dp < 0.05 compared with suspicious molecular test group at baseline

^ep < 0.05 compared with baseline QOL score within the molecular test result group

ThyPro-39 Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome, 39-item version, QOL quality of life