Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2018 May;28(5):639-649.
doi: 10.1089/thy.2017.0216.

Weight Changes After Thyroid Surgery for Patients with Benign Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Cancer: Population-Based Study and Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Naykky Singh Ospina  1   2 , Ana Castaneda-Guarderas  3 , Oksana Hamidi  2   4 , Oscar J Ponce  5 , Wang Zhen  5 , Larry Prokop  6 , Victor M Montori  2   4 , Juan P Brito  2   4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Weight Changes After Thyroid Surgery for Patients with Benign Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Cancer: Population-Based Study and Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Naykky Singh Ospina et al. Thyroid. 2018 May.

Abstract

Background: A key concern among patients who undergo thyroid surgery is postoperative weight gain. Yet, the impact of thyroid surgery on weight is unclear.

Methods: The population-based Rochester Epidemiology Project was used to examine weight and body mass index (BMI) changes at one, two, and three years of follow-up in (i) patients with thyroid cancer and benign thyroid nodules after thyroid surgery, and (ii) patients with thyroid nodules who did not have surgery. A comprehensive systematic review of the published literature from inception to February 2016 was also conducted. The results were pooled across studies using a random effects model.

Results: A total of 435 patients were identified: 181 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery (group A), 226 patients with benign thyroid nodules without surgery (group B), and 28 patients with benign thyroid nodules undergoing surgery (group C). Small changes in mean weight, BMI, and the number of patients whose weight increased between 5 and 10 kg were similar during each year of follow-up between patients in groups A and B. Furthermore, age >50 years, female sex, baseline BMI >25 kg/m2, and thyrotropin value at one to two years were not predictors of a 5% weight change. In the meta-analysis, 11 studies were included. One to two years after surgery for thyroid cancer or thyroid nodules, patients gained on average 0.94 kg [confidence interval (CI) 0.58-1.33] and 1.07 kg [CI 0.26-1.87], respectively. Patients with benign thyroid nodules who did not have surgery gained 1.50 kg [CI 0.60-2.4] at the longest follow-up.

Conclusions: On average, patients receiving care for thyroid nodules or cancer gain weight, but existing evidence suggests that surgery for these conditions does not contribute significantly to further weight gain. Clinicians and patients can use this information to discuss what to expect after thyroid surgery.

Keywords: TSH suppression; thyroid cancer; thyroid nodules; weight.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No conflict of interest.

Figures

<b>FIG. 1.</b>
FIG. 1.
Mean differences in weight according to group at one to three years of follow up. Data presented as estimate in kg (confidence interval [CI]) for mean difference in weight within each group at one to three years of follow-up.
<b>FIG. 2.</b>
FIG. 2.
Mean differences in body mass index (BMI) according to group at one to three years of follow-up time. Data presented as estimate in kg (CI) for mean difference in BMI within each group at one to three years of follow-up.
<b>FIG. 3.</b>
FIG. 3.
Forest plots depicting weight and BMI changes at longest follow-up observed in group A (patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery) and group B (patients with benign thyroid nodules without surgery).
<b>FIG. 4.</b>
FIG. 4.
Forest plots depicting weight and BMI changes at one to two years observed in group A (patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery), group B (patients with benign thyroid nodules without surgery), and group C (patients with benign thyroid nodules undergoing surgery).
<b>FIG. 5.</b>
FIG. 5.
Forest plots depicting weight and BMI changes at three to five years observed in group A (patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sosa JA, Hanna JW, Robinson KA, Lanman RB. 2013. Increases in thyroid nodule fine-needle aspirations, operations, and diagnoses of thyroid cancer in the United States. Surgery 154:1420–1426; discussion 1426–1427 - PubMed
    1. Singh Ospina N, Maraka S, Espinosa De Ycaza AE, Ahn HS, Castro MR, Morris JC, Montori VM, Brito JP. 2016. Physical exam in asymptomatic people drivers the detection of thyroid nodules undergoing ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy. Endocrine 54:433–439 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Vaccarella S, Franceschi S, Bray F, Wild CP, Plummer M, Dal Maso L. 2016. Worldwide thyroid-cancer epidemic? The increasing impact of overdiagnosis. N Engl J Med 375:614–617 - PubMed
    1. Dale J, Daykin J, Holder R, Sheppard MC, Franklyn JA. 2001. Weight gain following treatment of hyperthyroidism. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 55:233–239 - PubMed
    1. Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA. 2014. Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism. Physiol Rev 94:355–382 - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources