Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: Thyroid nodules represent a common clinical entity, yet their association with metabolic parameters and thyroid function profiles remains incompletely characterized. A comparative analysis of these factors can provide valuable insights into the metabolic context of nodular thyroid disease.

Objective: To perform a comparative analysis of metabolic parameters and thyroid function tests between patients with and without thyroid nodules.

Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted involving 70 participants (35 with thyroid nodules and 35 controls). Comprehensive metabolic profiling included assessment of body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipid parameters, and thyroid function tests (TSH, FT3, FT4). As per the exclusion criteria, cases with malignant thyroid nodules were resected. In this study, as thyroid nodules, only benign thyroid nodules were considered. Statistical analyses employed independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate regression models.

Results: Significant differences emerged between groups across multiple parameters. The nodule group demonstrated higher waist circumference (90.19±9.52 cm vs 84.76±8.00 cm, p=0.020), elevated systolic blood pressure (124.00±8.65 mmHg vs 116.00±6.94 mmHg, p=0.020), and higher fasting glucose levels (6.33±1.64 mmol/L vs 5.96±2.11 mmol/L, p=0.043). Thyroid function analysis revealed lower FT3 levels (5.01±0.88 pmol/L vs 5.42±0.70 pmol/L, p=0.050) and higher FT4 levels (14.10±1.96 pmol/L vs 12.71±2.40 pmol/L, p=0.018) in the nodule group. Metabolic syndrome prevalence was significantly higher in patients with nodules (68.57% vs 40.00%, p=0.001).

Conclusion: This comparative analysis demonstrates significant alterations in both metabolic parameters and thyroid hormone profiles in patients with thyroid nodules. The findings suggest an intricate relationship between metabolic homeostasis and thyroid nodule development, emphasizing the need for comprehensive metabolic evaluation in patients with thyroid nodules. The sample size was very small due to the COVID-19 situation.