Table 1.
Basic characteristics and clinical characteristics of all patients.
| Variable | PTC with DLN metastasis (N = 37) | PTC without DLN metastasis (N = 155) | P |
| Age, year | |||
| <45 | 23 (62.16) | 89 (57.42) | .599 |
| ≧45 | 14 (37.84) | 66 (42.58) | |
| Sex, female (%) | 34 (91.89) | 131 (84.52) | .246 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 22.68 ± 2.93 | 23.52 ± 2.70 | .094 |
| Hashimoto's thyroiditis, n (%) | 21 (56.76) | 93 (60.00) | .719 |
| Tumor size | |||
| ≤1cm | 14 (37.84) | 119 (76.77) | <.001 |
| >1cm | 23 (62.16) | 36 (23.23) | |
| Capsule invasion | |||
| Yes | 12 (32.43) | 8 (5.16) | <.001 |
| No | 25 (67.57) | 147 (94.84) | |
| Metastasis number of DLN, (n) | 0.40 ± 0.99 | – | – |
| Non-Delphian central lymph node metastasis | |||
| Positive | 26 (70.27) | 60 (38.71) | .001 |
| Negative | 11 (29.73) | 95 (61.29) | |
| TNM stage | |||
| I-II | 20 (54.05) | 110 (70.97) | .048 |
| III-IV | 17 (45.95) | 45 (29.03) | |
| Multifocality | |||
| Yes | 25 (67.57) | 45 (29.03) | <.001 |
| No | 12 (32.43) | 110 (70.97) | |
BMI = body mass index, DLN = Delphian lymph node, PTC = papillary thyroid carcinoma, TNM = tumor node metastasis.