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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffGoiters can affect anyone. They may be present at birth and occur at anytime throughout life, although they're more common after age 50. Some common risk factors for goiter include:
- A lack of dietary iodine. People living in areas where iodine is in short supply and who don't have access to iodine supplements are at high risk of goiter.
- Your sex. Because women are more prone to thyroid disorders, they're also more likely to develop goiters.
- Your age. Your chances of developing a goiter increase with age.
- Medical history. A personal or family history of autoimmune disease increases your risk.
- Pregnancy and menopause. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, thyroid problems are more likely to occur during pregnancy and menopause.
- Certain medications. Some medical treatments, including immunosuppressants, antiretrovirals, the heart drug amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone, others) and the psychiatric drug lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, others), increase your risk.
- Radiation exposure. Your risk increases if you've had radiation treatments to your neck or chest area or you've been exposed to radiation in a nuclear facility, test or accident.
References
- Thyroid disorders overview. The Hormone Foundation. http://www.hormone.org/Thyroid/overview.cfm. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Goiter. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/goiter.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Ross DS. Clinical manifestations and evaluation of obstructive or substernal goiter. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Jameson JL, et al. Disorders of the thyroid gland. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies: 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2877579&searchStr=goiter. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Lal G, et al. Thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal. In: Brunicardi FC, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5027231&searchStr=goiter#5027231. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Simple nontoxic goiter. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch152/ch152i.html?qt=goiter&alt=sh. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Iodine deficiency. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/iodine_deficiency.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2010.
- Hyperthyroidism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch152/ch152e.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2010.
- Approach to the patient with a thyroid nodule. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch152/ch152b.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2010.
- Hypothyroidism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch152/ch152f.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2010.
- Thyroid diseases. Lab Tests Online. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/thyroid.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Ross DS. Treatment of obstructive or substernal goiter. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
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