Introduction: Diagnosis of thyroid disease is fundamental in the evaluation of patients awaiting kidney transplantation. We analyzed the incidence of thyroid disease in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and evaluated its evolution before and after kidney transplantation.
Patients and methods: Between January 2000 and May 2008, we evaluated 323 candidates for kidney transplantation. In all patients, serum concentrations of free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone were determined and a ultrasonography of the neck was performed. Patients with thyroid cancer were considered eligible for kidney transplantation after at least 2 years since treatment.
Results: One-hundred-four patients with ESRD (44%) had functional or morphologic changes in the thyroid gland. Forty-one patients (17.4%) underwent fine-needle aspiration cytology; 3 demonstrated showed papillary carcinoma; 3, follicular adenomas; 8, uncertain cytologic lesions; and 27, a nodular goiter. Seventeen patients underwent surgery. Six of 11 patients with thyroid cancer underwent transplantation: two patients underwent laterocervical lymph node dissection because of local recurrence within 2 years after successful transplantation; the other 4 patients are alive with a functioning graft. Of the 184 transplant recipients, 10 underwent surgery to treat thyroid disease: 8 with multinodular goiter, 1 with micropapillary carcinoma, and 1 with follicular adenoma. All 10 patients are alive with a well-functioning graft and no signs of disease recurrence.
Conclusions: Thyroid diseases are common in patients with ESRD. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly decreased morbidity and mortality in patients awaiting transplantation.