Thyroid Dysfunction in the Elderly Women of Tabriz

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly women of Tabriz city; the largest city in North West Iran. By using the records of the local household registry, a sample of 1000 subjects aged between 60 and 89 years(mean 64.54±5.41) was drawn by simple random sampling. Thyroid function tests including TSH concentration were done in all subjects and free T4 concentration, free T3 concentration and anti-microsomal antibodies were measured in those with abnormal TSH levels. Seventy-three(7.3%) participants had high(>4.5mU/liter), and 54(5.4%) had low (<0.3 mU/liter) TSH levels. The overall prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the population under study was 12.7%. The prevalence of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism in study subjects were 1.5% and 4.1%, respectively. Overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism was seen in 4.1% and 1.2%, respectively. High titers of anti-microsomal antibodies were found in 60.6% of those with high TSH levels. The prevalence of abnormal biochemical thyroid function reported in the study is substantial and confirms previous reports in other populations. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in the elderly female population of Tabriz. The results provide useful baseline information for designing public health plans and tracking changes.