A hormonal association between estrogen metabolism and proliferative thyroid disease.

Abstract

To illustrate a relationship between proliferative thyroid disease and estrogen metabolism through the analysis of urinary estrogen metabolites. Case-control study of 49 subjects with proliferative thyroid disorders and matching them to 49 controls. Urinary estrogen metabolite ratios were obtained, measuring 2-hydroxyestrone, an anti-proliferative metabolite, to 16alpha-hydroxyestrone, a proliferative metabolite. The patients were stratified into low (0 to 1.00), medium (1.01 to 2.00), or high (>2.00) groups according to their estrogen metabolite ratio. Fifty-one percent (25 of 49) of the cases had a low 2/16 ratio compared to 31% (15 of 49) in the control group while 20% (10 of 49) of the control group had a high 2/16 ratio as compared to 8% (4 of 49) in the case group (P value < 0.05). Increased 16alpha-hydroxyestrone activity compared to 2-hydroxyestrone activity appears to be associated with proliferative thyroid disease. Further study of estrogen metabolites in relation to proliferative thyroid disease is warranted and may lead to implications for new treatment modalities for proliferative thyroid disease. B-3b.