Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Nov 2023)
Association of Clinicodemographic Factors and Tissue Biopsy Results Among Patients with Thyroid Nodules at the Southern Philippines Medical Center
Abstract
Objective: To compare selected clinicodemographic factors of patients with thyroid nodules who underwent thyroid surgeries with their tissue biopsy results and determine any association between clinicodemographic factors and tissue biopsy results. Methods: Design: Retrospective review of records Setting: Tertiary Government Training Hospital Participants: 251 patients with thyroid nodules Results: Of 251 patients with thyroid nodules, the majority (218; 86.9%) were females while 33 (13.1%) were males. The average age in years was 41.5±13.3 The same population also had malignant outcomes at 79.3%. Most of the patients did not have family history of thyroid malignancy (54%) and had no palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation (75.9%). Furthermore, there was no distant metastasis at presentation for both lungs (97.7%) and bones (98.9%). There were no significant differences in tissue biopsy results when correlated with age (df=249; t=-.144; p = .886), duration of goiter (df=249; t=-.829; p = .408), and distant metastasis at presentation for lungs (Z=-5.977; p = .052) and bones (Z=-.457; p = .648). Significant differences were only evident for clinicodemographic factors such as sex (Z=-2.570; p = .010), family history (Z=-2.239; p = .020), palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation (Z=-5.977; p = .000), and the following comorbidities: pulmonary tuberculosis (Z=-2.388; p = .017) and bronchial asthma (Z=-2.148; p = .032) and smoking history (Z=-3.455; p=.001). Furthermore, having no palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation were associated with malignant tissue biopsy results (B=3.616; p=.001). Patients without palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation were 37.204 times [OR=37.204] more likely to have benign biopsy results [95% CI: 4.705 – 294.168]. Conclusion: There are greater odds of having benign biopsy results for patients without palpable cervical lymph nodes at presentation.