The Epidemiologic Study On The Risk Factors Of Thyroid Nodules

To explore the mechanisms responsible for the development of thyroid nodules on integration of Chinese and western medicine, we used the data from Risk Evaluation of Cancers in Chinese Diabetic Individuals-a Longitudinal (REACTION) study to investigate the prevalence and ultrasound characteristics of thyroid nodules in Nanjing city, as well as the influences of menopausal and reproductive factors, sleep patterns, and insulin resistance (IR) to the development and growth of thyroid nodules. We found: 1. Periods of elevated estrogen and progesterone levels in women, such as pregnancy, were the key occasions for occurrence of both benign and suspiciously malignant thyroid nodules, while longer lifetime length of exposure to female sex hormones might promote the growth of thyroid nodules; 2. IR play a pivotal role in the distribution, construction and density of thyroid nodular vascularization, which might contribute to the growth and progression of thyroid nodules; 3. delayed bedtime, nocturnal sleep deprivation, excessive daytime sleep, but not reduced total sleep duration, could promote the development and growth of thyroid nodules in women, which might be related to circadian rhythm disturbances.