Long-term follow-up in untreated Plummer's disease (autonomous goiter)

Plummer's disease presents a spectrum of forms and its evolution is often slow. Longitudinal studies have been limited both in number of patients and duration of follow-up. In order to answer the question of whether euthyroid patients with no local symptoms should be treated prophylactically, 70 patients were reexamined 5.2-21.8 years (average, 8.9) after Plummer's disease had been diagnosed. Data are included on four others who developed symptoms that indicated treatment within five years. Gross (clinically relevant) changes were seen in 24 cases. Of these, 16 were progressive, including 12 where hyperthyroidism developed. Gross regressive changes included two cases with complete remission. Minor changes (28 cases) were about as often regressive as progressive. Most patients with a solitary autonomous nodule showed either gross changes or no change, whereas minor changes prevailed in multifocal autonomy. All eight male patients had a solitary nodule, 28 of 66 females had multifocal autonomy. Gross changes were seen in nine of 12 patients under 40 years at presentation, more often than in those over 49 years; seven of these changes were progressive. Six short case reports illustrate the great diversity in evolution. It is concluded that treatment seems wise in teenagers and in elderly patients with borderline (biochemical) hyperthyroidism but others generally may be left untreated, as long as they have few or no complaints.