ASSESSMENT OF SUB-CLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM AND HYPERTHYROIDISM STATUS IN ADULT PATIENTS

Generally sub-clinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are diagnosed on the basis of laboratory evaluation and mostly such patients’ manifest with mild or devoid of any clinical signs or symptoms. It is known to be a common disorder, also refer to as subclinical thyroid disease particularly in middle-aged and elderly individuals. Moreover, it is reported that most patients who were found to have sub-clinical hyperthyroidism depicts TSH values between 0.1 to 0.45 µIU/L and those with sub clinical hypothyroidism between 4.5 to 10 µIU/L. In this respect, studies were carried out during January 2006-Dec 2007 in 230 adult patients (98 males, 132 females) for evaluation of sub-clinical thyroid disease. TSH and thyroid hormones (T3 T4, FT3 and FT4) levels of all patients were determined by standard methods to assess the extent of the sub-clinical status. In female group which comprised of 132 patients, a total of n = 28 (21.20%) exhibited sub-clinical thyroid disorders [n = 18; 13.63% Sub-clinical hypothyroidism, n = 10; 7.57% sub-clinical hyperthyroidism], whereas 59 (44.69%) exhibited true-thyroid disorder. Subsequent assessment in males shows that out of 98 patients; n = 15 patients (15.30%) showed sub-clinical thyroid disorders [n = 9; 9.18% sub-clinical hypothyroidism; n = 6; 6.12% sub-clinical hyperthyroidism], whereas 20 (20.40%) exhibited true thyroid disorder. In both gender groups, 45 and 63 individuals were without any sub-clinical or true thyroid disease, respectively and thus presented as normal. It is concluded that sub-clinical thyroid dysfunction prevails in females with 12.17% occurrence whereas 6.52% in males. Furthermore, the evaluation and subsequent presence of sub-clinical conditions predicts future progression to overt disease. Through review of existing literature and reports, it is also advisable that routine screening for thyroid disease through clinical investigations aided with lab findings be promoted, especially in pregnant women.