Non toxic goiter in the adult population of Genoa: 10 years of experience.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of non toxic goiter, difuse or nodular, in all Genoa's Country thyroid diseases. The authors have studied one non-random casuistry of 1980 Patients observed from time to time in the last decade in Ambulatory of Nuclear Medicine (Department of Internal Medicine of University of Genoa) working with Section of Hygiene of ASL of Genoa. Of 1980 patients, 1629 (83.63%) were females; 351 (16.37%) were males, aged 14-70 years. The mean age was 42.6 years. First observations regarded only born and old date residents in Genoa never subordinates to surgical. Actinic or pharmacological treatments to the thyroid. All patients have normal circulating hormones and TSH. Every subject was afflicted with un toxic goiter (diffuse, single nodular or multi nodular) assessed by clinical Examination, ultrasonography and thyroid uptake with 99mTc-pertechnetate. This pathology represents now the 66.6% of all thyroid diseases observed. The A.A. emphasized an absolute prevalence of non toxic goiter in females (84.2% of observations). The enclosed tables are created divided the casuistry for age correspondents to the several decades (for the II to VII the wais). By means of the test of Kolmogorov-Smirnov we have shaped two delineating curves the frequencies. Accumulated of feminine and male subjects. The results of our study support a advantage of the Females versus male subjects in the diffuse and in the multi nodular goiter, while in the Struma to Single nodular differences are meaningful absent.