Subclinical thyroid disorders in postmenopausal women of Iran

Abstract

Objectives: The present Cross-sectional study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of subclinical thyroid disorders in postmenopausal women in a community on the northwest of Iran. Methods: By using the records of the local household registry, a sample of 1000 subjects aged between 60 and 89 years (mean 64.5±5.4) were included in our survey. Tests of thyroid function including TSH concentration in all subjects and free T4 concentration, free T3 concentration and anti-microsomal antibodies in those with abnormal TSH were conducted. Results: Eight hundred and seventy three (87.3) subjects were euthyroid, as indicated by their serum TSH concentrations. The overall prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the samples was 12.7%. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism was 5.8% and 4.1%, respectively. High titers of anti-microsomal antibodies were found in 60.6% of the patients with high TSH levels. Conclusion: The prevalence of abnormal biochemical thyroid function reported here is substantial and confirms previous reports from other populations. We found that the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in the elderly female population of East Azerbaijan. The results from this study provide the baseline information to settle public health plans and to track the changes.