Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34292427›Full record

Trial reportAnnals of surgical oncology2021

Longitudinal Assessment of Quality of Life Following Molecular Testing for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules.

Max A Schumm, Dalena T Nguyen, Jiyoon Kim, Chi-Hong Tseng, Amy Y Chow, Na Shen, Masha J Livhits

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Annals of surgical oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Max A SchummSection of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave. 72-227 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. mschumm@mednet.ucla.edu.
Dalena T NguyenSection of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave. 72-227 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
Jiyoon KimDepartment of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Chi-Hong TsengDivision of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Amy Y ChowDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Na ShenDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Masha J LivhitsSection of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave. 72-227 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMolecular testing can refine the risk of malignancy in cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules and can reduce the need for diagnostic thyroidectomy. However, quality of life (QOL) in patients mananged with molecular testing is not well studied.

objectiveWe aimed to assess the QOL of patients undergoing surveillance after a benign molecular test result, or thyroidectomy after a suspicious molecular test result.

methodsThis prospective longitudinal follow-up of the Effectiveness of Molecular Testing Techniques for Diagnosis of Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules randomized trial utilized the Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome, 39-item version (ThyPro-39) to assess the QOL of patients with indeterminate cytology on thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. All patients underwent molecular testing at the time of initial FNA. A mixed-effect model was used to determine changes in QOL over time.

resultsOf 252 eligible patients, 174 completed the assessment (69% response rate). Molecular test results included 72% (n = 124) benign and 28% (n = 50) suspicious. ThyPro-39 scores of benign molecular test patients were unchanged from baseline (following initial FNA and molecular test results) to 18 months of ultrasound surveillance. Baseline symptoms of goiter, anxiety, and depression were more severe for patients with suspicious compared with benign molecular test results. At a median of 8 months after thyroidectomy, suspicious molecular test patients reported improved symptoms of goiter, anxiety, and depression.

conclusionA benign molecular test provides sustained QOL throughout ultrasound surveillance, without worsening anxiety or depression relating to the risk of malignancy. Definitive surgery results in improvement of QOL in patients with suspicious molecular tests.

Indexed as

Thyroid NeoplasmsThyroid NoduleBiopsy, Fine-NeedleHumansMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesProspective StudiesQuality of LifeRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID34292427
PMCPMC8591007

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.