Hypertension Was Associated with Higher Tumor Stages in Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Large Sample Single-Center Study

Background: Hypertension (HTN) is known to increase the risk of thyroid cancer. However, few studies have explored the association between HTN and the prognostic factors of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 2838 PTC patients treated with surgery at our center between January 2017 and September 2020. The association between both HTN and antihypertensive drug use and the clinicopathological features of the PTC patients was analyzed. The odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, which were adjusted for the patients' age, sex, and thyroid-stimulating hormone level. Results: A total of 2838 patients were enrolled in this study, including 409 patients with HTN. In the multivariate analysis, HTN was associated with larger tumor size [OR = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-2.07], lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.02-1.99), and higher tumor stages (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.12-2.86). There was no statistical difference between females >40 years of age and any pathological features, while a positive association was observed between older males and larger tumors (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.01-3.45), and lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.08-3.73). No statistical difference was found in the effects of taking alone calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II-receptor blockers, and their combination on the pathological features of PTC. Conclusion: PTC patients with HTN, particularly males of age >40, tend to have invasive features. Common antihypertension therapy appears to exert no effect on the pathological characteristics of these patients.