Title: Thyroid Dysfunction in Elderly
Authors: Lakshminarayana GR, Sheetal LG
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i2.09
Background: There is limited data regarding the prevalence of thyroid disorders in elderly from India. Methods: All subjects aged ≥ 60 years, who underwent estimation of thyroid function tests (TFTs) on their first visit to the hospital from 2009-2013 were included in the study. Results: A total of 1479 subjects (males-671, females-808), aged between 60-94 (Mean 69.02 SD: 7.21) years, were studied. Thyroid disorders were present in 13.99% of subjects. The prevalence rate of thyroid disorders was higher in females (14.73%) than males (13.11%) and in those aged ≥ 70 years [14.74%] than subjects in the age group of 60-69 years [13.57%]. Overt hypothyroidism (OH) was the commonest (5.81%) disorder followed by Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in 5.54% subjects. Majority (90.69%) of cases OH were of primary hypothyroidism. The hyperthyroidism was prevalent in 1.76% followed by subclinical hyperthyroidism (SH) in 0.88% of subjects. All disorders were common in males than females; OH and hyperthyroidism were common in those aged ≥70 years and SCH and SH were common inage group of 60-69 years. Conclusions: The thyroid disorders are common in elderly subjects; affecting about ~ 14 % in study population. The OH was the commonest thyroid function disorder, followed by SCH, hyperthyroidism and SH with prevalence rates of 5.81, 5.54, 1.76 and 0.88% respectively; all were more common in females than males. The OH and hyperthyroidism showed an increasing trend with age; both in males and females. Key-words: Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Subclinical Hypothyroidism, Thyroid disorders in elderly. 1. Faggiano A, Del PM, Marciello F, Marotta V, Ramundo V, Colao A. Thyroid diseases in elderly.Minerva Endocrinol. 2011 Sep;36(3):211-31. 2. Laurberg P, Andersen S, Bülow PI, Carlé A.Hypothyroidism in the elderly: pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. Drugs Aging. 2005;22(1):23-38. 3. Adam G, Andrzej L and Małgorzata KL. The thyroid gland and the process of aging;what is new? Thyroid Res. 2012; 5(16):1-5. 4. Adam G. The thyroid gland and the process of aging. Thyroid Res. 2015; 8(S1): A8.DOI: 10.1186/1756-6614-8-S1-A8. 5. Morganti S, Ceda GP, Saccani M, Milli B, Ugolotti D, Prampolini R, et al. Thyroid disease in the elderly: sex-related differences in clinical expression.J Endocrinol Invest. 2005; 28(11S):101-104. 6. Levy EG. Thyroid disease in the elderly.Med Clin North Am. 1991;75(1):151-167. 7. Afschrift M. Thyroid diseases in the elderly. Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 1990 Feb; 21(1):3-6. 8. Mario AL. Thyroid Disease in the Elderly. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research. 2003; 33 (3): 228-230. 9. Nandalal B, Thomas RB, Ronald FP. Thyroid Dysfunction in Adults Over Age 55 Years: A Study in an Urban US Community. Arch Intern Med. 1990;150(4):785-787. 10. Henrik B, Trine B, Per IG, Fredrik H and Harald MF. Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in elderly subjects.ActaEndocrinol, 1988; 117:7-12. 11. Richard JS, Janet MS, Laurence MD, Richard JS. Thyroid Dysfunction in Elderly Hospitalized Patients Effect of Age and Severity of Illness. Arch Intern Med. 1990;150(6):1249-1253.6060 12. Unnikrishnan AG, Sanjay K, Rakesh KS, Ganapathi B, Mathew J, Neeraj T. Prevalence of hypothyroidism in adults: An epidemiological study in eight cities of India. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2013; 17 (4): 647-652. 13. Madhuvan, HS, Ravishankar, SN, Somashekar Reddy, Chandrasekhara, P, Nikhil. A prospective study of thyroid - dysfunction in elderly patients and its clinical correlation. Archives of Medicine. 2013; 5 (1): 1-10. 14. Sawin CT, Castelli WP, Hershman JM, McNamara P, Bacharach P. The aging thyroid. Thyroid deficiency in the Framingham Study. Arch Intern Med. 1985;145(8):1386–1388.Abstract
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