Ultrasonographic assessment of thyroid volume in oldest-old individuals

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between thyroid volume and age, gender, anthropometric characteristics, and echogenicity in oldest-old subjects in an iodine-sufficient area. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 81 independent elderly individuals aged ≥ 80 years (65 [80.2%] women). We determined these individuals’ anthropometric characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and lean body mass, as well as thyroid volume and echogenicity by ultrasonography. RESULTS: We observed that octogenarians and nonagenarians had different profiles of thyroid echogenicity. The volume of the thyroid was smaller in nonagenarians than octogenarians ( p = 0.012, r = 0.176), and subjects aged 80–89 years had more often hypoechoic glands than those aged ≥ 90 years ( p = 0.01 versus 0.602). CONCLUSION: The identification of ultrasonographic differences in oldest-old individuals will contribute to establishing preclinical markers, such as echogenicity, to identify individuals at risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease. Future prospective studies should identify if 80–89-year-old individuals with hypoechoic glands progress to hypothyroidism, and if the absence of changes in echogenicity ( i.e. a normal thyroid parenchyma) would have a positive impact on longevity among nonagenarians.