Screening for subclinical thyroid disorders in elderly individuals

Abstract

At the old people, the thyroid affections are frequent ; their symptomatology, often poor and atypical, risk to pass unperceived. The aim of this study is the screening for subclinical dysthyroidism in a group of old subjects living in community in a house of greeting and in a group of old hospitalized patients. The dysthyroidism was detected by measuring the TSH among 46 old no hospitalized people (NH) and 40 in-patients (H). The TSH have been determined by an ELFA technique on a Minividas analyser and the biological assessment have been completed in case of abnormal result by the measure of FT4 and FT3. Our study shows that the frequency of the dysthyroidism is 11,6 % in the two sexes. It is higher among women (18,1%) that at the men (7,5%). This frequency is marked at group NH (15,2%) that at the group H (7,5%). The frequency of the subclinical hypothyroidism vary from 4,4 to 7,5% whereas the subclinical hyperthyroidism’s frequency is 7,5%. The high prevalence of the dysthyroidism at the old people must arouse more attention in the presence of signs and even subtle symptoms. Yearly determination of the TSH in these subjects would have an interesting cost / efficiency ratio.