To date there are no data available as to whether postmenopausal women
who undergo total thyroidectomy for benign euthyroid goiter demonstra
te changes in body mass or body composition. We prospectively evaluate
d 8 postmenopausal women (mean age 57 +/- 7; range 48 to 70 years) who
underwent total thyroidectomy for benign goiter. All patients were eu
thyroid preoperatively (serum free thyroxine [FT4] 12.7 +/- 0.6 pmol/L
and serum thyrotropin [TSH] 0.98 +/- 0.2 mU/L) and were commenced on
adequate thyroxine replacement immediately postoperatively in order to
maintain a serum TSH within the normal range (0.5-4 mU/L). Body mass,
body composition, and thyroid function were assessed preoperatively,
and at 4 and 12 months postoperatively. Body composition was assessed
by anthropometry and dual energy iv-ray absorptiometry (Lunar DPX-L sc
anner). Eight healthy postmenopausal women without evidence of thyroid
disease matched for age, weight, and estrogen therapy who were follow
ed over the same period were used as controls. All patients were maint
ained in a euthyroid status throughout the study. No significant chang
es in body mass or any parameter of body composition were demonstrated
at 4 and 12 months postoperatively. Similar findings were recorded in
our control group. We conclude that total thyroidectomy in euthyroid
postmenopausal women with benign goiter does not result in a significa
nt change in either body mass or body composition if adequate thyroxin
e replacement is maintained.