Chronic Fatigue After Thyroidectomy: A Patient-Centered Survey

Background Fatigue after thyroidectomy is common, but there is a paucity of data regarding its prevalence and duration. We hypothesized that total thyroidectomy (TT) patients would have more long-term fatigue than thyroid lobectomy (TL) patients. Methods Statewide survey of thyroidectomy patients (2...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American surgeon 2022-02, Vol.88 (2), p.260-266
Main Authors: Lumpkin, Stephanie T., Button, Julia, Stratton, Lee, Strassle, Paula D., Kim, Lawrence T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body mass index
Cancer
Confidence Intervals
Cross-Sectional Studies
Fatigue
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - epidemiology
Female
Health Surveys - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Odds Ratio
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
Patients
Polls & surveys
Postoperative Complications - epidemiology
Qualitative Research
Thyroid
Thyroid gland
Thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy - adverse effects
Thyroidectomy - methods
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Summary:Background Fatigue after thyroidectomy is common, but there is a paucity of data regarding its prevalence and duration. We hypothesized that total thyroidectomy (TT) patients would have more long-term fatigue than thyroid lobectomy (TL) patients. Methods Statewide survey of thyroidectomy patients (2004-2017) was carried out. Results 281 patients completed the survey. 216 respondents (77%) had TT and 65 (23%) had TL. Within one year of surgery, 172 (61%) respondents recalled being troubled by new fatigue all, most, or some of the time. Total thyroidectomy patients were more likely to report new fatigue (69% vs. 44%, aOR 2.72, 95% CI 1.44 to 5.18). Of patients (n = 172) reporting new fatigue, 67 (39%) reported at least moderate improvement. Nineteen (28%) saw improvement within 1 year, 35 (52%) saw improvement in 1-2 years, and 11 (16%) saw improvement after 2 years. Conclusion Long-term fatigue after TT can be debilitating, long-lasting, and less prevalent after TL.
ISSN:0003-1348
1555-9823
DOI:10.1177/0003134821989054