Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 61. No. 1., 2022.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2022.61.01.05
The Prevalence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism in the Population of Elderly Nursing Home Residents in Zagreb
Tomislav Jukić
orcid.org/0000-0001-5631-164X
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Valentina Vindranski
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Blažeković
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Marin Prpić
orcid.org/0000-0002-4471-7279
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Jakšić
orcid.org/0000-0001-8776-0560
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Kiarash Pourmodjib
; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Mihaljević
; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; Clinical Institute for Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, Osijek University Hospital Center, Osijek, Croatia
Maja Maja Franceschi
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ana Fröbe
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonko Kusić
; Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction,
positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and hypercholesterolemia in elderly and younger
subjects, and the association of subclinical hypothyroidism with hypercholesterolemia. The study included
204 elderly (136 females and 68 males, age median 71, range 60-92 years), and 83 younger
control subjects (63 females and 20 males, age median 45, range 19-55 years). Subjects with prior
thyroid dysfunction were excluded. Serum thyrotropin (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine
(FT4), TPOAb, total cholesterol, height and weight were measured. Mann-Whitney, χ2-test
and Student’s t-test were used on statistical analysis. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism
(TSH >5 mU/L) in elderly was 7.4% vs. 3.6% in younger subjects, with the highest prevalence of
8.8% in elderly women vs. 4.8% in younger women, and 4.4% in elderly men. The prevalence of hypothyroidism
and subclinical hyperthyroidism in elderly subjects was 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively. In
women with subclinical hypothyroidism, the prevalence of TPOAb was 77% in elderly women and
67% in younger women (overall 19.9% in elderly and 14.3% in younger women). The mean FT3 level
was lower in elderly women as compared with elderly men (p<0.01) and younger women (p<0.05). The
mean cholesterol level was higher in elderly subjects in comparison with younger ones (p<0.01), and
in elderly women vs. elderly men (p<0.01), but without difference between subclinical hypothyroidism
and euthyroid subjects (6.0 mmol/L). In conclusion, subclinical hypothyroidism is the most prevalent
thyroid dysfunction in elderly, with the highest prevalence in elderly women, and autoimmune thyroiditis
is the most common etiology. Hypercholesterolemia was more related to older age, especially
elderly females, but not influenced by subclinical hypothyroidism.
Keywords
Subclinical hypothyroidism; Prevalence; Elderly; Thyroid dysfunction; Thyrotropin; Cholesterol
Hrčak ID:
280105
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2022.
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