Background: To determine the incidence of diabetes and thyroid nodules and factors influencing them.
Methods: A questionnaire was used for the epidemiological investigation of metabolic disorders, especially diabetes. Thyroid hormones and other indicator levels as well as ultrasound examinations were performed.
Results: Of 842 cases, 43 had diabetes, with an incidence rate of 5.1%, while 799 cases were non-diabetic, accounting for 94.9%. The incidence rate of thyroid nodules was 81.4% (35/43) in diabetic patients and 70.7% (565/799) in non-diabetic patients. Statistical analysis showed that the pathogenesis of thyroid was not obviously associated with diabetes. A further analysis of clinical features and thyroid nodules in diabetic patients revealed that the morbidity of thyroid nodules was correlated with age but had no relation to gender. The incidence of thyroid nodules was 92.9% in patients > 60 years. The morbidity of thyroid nodules was not only associated with age but also gender in non-diabetic patients, with a relatively high probability in female patients > 60 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed that follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were risk factors for developing thyroid nodules in all subjects; for males aged > 60 years, TSH and thyroxine were risk factors; for female subjects, FSH, TSH and GPT were the main factors.
Conclusions: Diabetes is not a risk factor for thyroid nodules but an age > 60 years is an important factor for high morbidity of thyroid nodules.
Keywords: Diabetes; morbidity; thyroid nodule.