On the frequency of thyroid diseases in outpatients in an ENT clinic

The prevalence of thyroid diseases was studied in the ENT department of Kobe Teishin Hospital. Between January 1990 and June 1994, 6,348 outpatients (3,004 women and 3,344 men) visited the ENT department with problems of ear, nose, and throat. Among them 114 patients (82 women and 32 men) were revealed to have thyroid diseases (1.8%). The prevalence of thyroid diseases increased in patients over the age of 40 (4.6% for 40-80 year aged women, 1.6% for 40-80 year aged men). The male/female ratio was about 1:2.7. There was no subjective symptom in 86.8% of the patients. The prevalence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis was 53.5%, nontoxic diffuse goiter 16.7%, cyst(s) 8.8%, adenoma 7.0%, nontoxic nodular goiter 4.4%, subacute thyroiditis or acute exacerbation of Hashimoto's thyroiditis 4.4%, Graves' disease 1.8%, thyroid carcinoma 1.8%, adenomatous goiter 0.8%, and primary hypothyroidism 0.8%. Visible goiter was observed in only 5 patients and 93% of the patients had palpable but not visible thyroids. Therefore, it is important to palpate the thyroid gland during examination of the neck not only in women but also in men. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is thought to be increasing in frequency and is becoming a more important disease in the ENT clinic.