Table 3 Univariable and multivariable logistic regression model for the heightened regret in patients undergoing thyroidectomy

Age, mean (SD), years

43.9 (9.9)

43.3 (10.2)

0.392

Patient gender

0.264

 Female

241 (75.5)

783 (78.5)

 Male

78 (24.5)

214 (21.5)

Patient race/ethnicity

0.589

 Han

311 (97.5)

977 (98.0)

 Others

8 (2.5)

20 (2.0)

Tumor size, mean (SD), mm

7.1 (2.1)

7.0 (1.8)

0.858

Marital status

0.156

 Married/living as married

278 (87.1)

897 (90.0)

 Others

41 (12.9)

100 (10.0)

Current employment status

<0.001

1.343

0.688–2.612

0.387

 Employed

302 (94.7)

840 (84.3)

 Others

17 (5.3)

157 (15.7)

Comorbidities of thyroid

 Nodular goiter

165 (51.7)

344 (34.5)

<0.001

1.193

0.739–1.926

0.470

 Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

56 (17.6)

99 (9.9)

0.004

1.094

0.852–2.809

0.515

 0

253 (79.3)

808 (81.0)

0.496

 1

43 (13.5)

131 (13.2)

 ≥2

23 (7.2)

58 (5.8)

Extent of thyroidectomy

0.180

 Total thyroidectomy

116 (36.4)

322 (32.3)

 Lobectomy

203 (63.6)

675 (67.7)

Central lymph node dissection

<0.001

0.599

0.278–1.292

0.191

 Unilateral

207 (64.9)

762 (76.4)

 Bilateral

112 (35.1)

235 (23.6)

Thyroid hormone replacement/ suppression therapy

0.299

 Yes

280 (87.8)

852 (85.5)

 No

39 (12.2)

145 (14.5)

TSH, mean (SD), (mIU/L)

1.2 (1.1)

1.3 (1.4)

0.220

FT3, mean (SD), (pmol/L)

4.7 (1.8)

4.7 (1.5)

0.921

FT4, mean (SD), (pmol/L)

18.8 (3.2)

19.0 (3.2)

0.498

Postoperative complications

12 (3.8)

0 (0.0)

<0.001

3.116

1.531–10.782

0.016

 Gross or microscopic ETE

0 (0.0)

85 (8.5)

<0.001

0.612

0.222–1.076

0.088

 Lymph node metastasis

0 (0.0)

399 (40.0)

<0.001

0.347

0.104–0.864

<0.001

Median time from operation to distribution of survey (months)

35 (6–73)

34 (6–74)

0.869

Disease progression

7 (2.2)

11 (1.1)

0.144

 Completely patient’s choice

37 (11.6)

151 (15.1)

0.115

 Primarily based on my doctor’s recommendation

107 (33.5)

298 (29.9)

0.219

 Doctor and patient made decision together

166 (52.0)

542 (54.4)

0.468

 Someone else’s choice

9 (2.9)

6 (0.6)

0.001

5.086

0.839–30.845

0.077

 Not at all

114 (35.7)

106 (10.6)

<0.001

4.216

2.357–9.996

<0.001

 A little

73 (22.9)

176 (17.7)

0.038

 Quite a bit

60 (18.8)

441 (44.2)

<0.001

0.752

0.314–1.422

0.110

 Very much

72 (22.6)

274 (27.5)

0.083

 High

289 (90.6)

973 (97.6)

<0.001

0.451

0.232–0.917

0.002

 Low

30 (9.4)

24 (2.4)

 Neuromuscular (high/low)

148 (46.4)/171 (53.6)

311 (31.2)/686 (68.8)

<0.001

1.231

0.720–2.104

0.448

 Voice (high/low)

150 (47.0)/169 (53.0)

369 (37.0)/628 (63.0)

0.002

0.992

0.611–1.610

0.974

 Concentration (high/low)

162 (50.8)/157 (49.2)

334 (33.5)/663 (66.5)

<0.001

1.593

0.918–2.766

0.098

 Sympathetic (high/low)

122 (38.2)/197 (61.8)

276 (27.7)/721 (72.3)

<0.001

1.281

0.766–2.141

0.346

 Throat/mouth (high/low)

145 (45.5)/174(54.5)

310 (33.1)/687 (68.9)

<0.001

0.903

0.542–1.506

0.697

 Psychological (high/low)

187 (58.6)/132 (41.4)

464 (46.5)/533 (53.5)

<0.001

1.835

1.248–2.988

0.039

 Sensory (high/low)

152 (47.6)/167 (52.4)

407 (40.8)/590 (59.2)

0.032

1.073

0.567–1.753

0.778

 Scarring (high/low)

213 (66.8)/106 (33.2)

445 (44.6)/552 (55.4)

<0.001

2.907

1.527–3.920

0.021

 Chilly (high/low)

174 (54.5)/145 (45.5)

447 (44.8)/550 (55.2)

0.003

0.996

0.590–1.582

0.892

 Tingling (high/low)

149 (46.7)/170 (53.3)

300 (30.1)/697 (69.9)

<0.001

1.488

0.872–2.539

0.145

 Weight gain (high/low)

48 (15.0)/271 (85.0)

134 (13.4)/863 (86.6)

0.469

 Headache (high/low)

155 (48.6)/164 (51.4)

376 (37.7)/621 (62.3)

<0.001

0.996

0.599–1.658

0.898

 Sex (high/low)

57 (17.9)/262 (82.1)

99 (9.9)/898 (90.1)

<0.001

1.984

0.917–3.607

0.077