J Korean Thyroid Assoc.  2012 May;5(1):52-59. 10.11106/jkta.2012.5.1.52.

Clinical Review of Thyroid Dysfunction in the Subjects for Health Check-up

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Keimyung University, DongSan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University, DongSan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea. ho3632@kmu.ac.kr

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Thyroid disorders are common endocrine disease with various clinical symptoms. Biochemical function tests are important to detect thyroid function disorders, but guideline for screening of thyroid dysfunction is controversial. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of thyroid dysfunctions with analyses of public screening and follow-up results on our hospital.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was performed on 3309 subjects (1753 men, 1556 women) that visited in our health promotion center for periodic health examination from January to June 2007, with review of medical records. Serum T3, Free T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations were measured with radioimmunoassay using commercial kits, and ultrasonogram and scan of thyroid were conducted if needed.
RESULTS
The study showed the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 11.8% (389 cases) and among the subjects, prevalence of undiagnosed hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were 1.8% (7 cases) and 3.1% (12 cases), subclinical hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism was 0.5% (2 cases) and 4.9% (19 cases). However, prevalence of normal thyroid function with follow up clinically was 37.3% (145 cases).
CONCLUSION
This study indicates significance of screening and confirmation through follow-up for thyroid disorders with high prevalence of thyroid dysfunctions with guidelines to minimize the false positive results.

Keyword

Follow-up; Screening; Thyroid disorders; Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism

MeSH Terms

Endocrine System Diseases
Follow-Up Studies
Health Promotion
Humans
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Male
Mass Screening
Medical Records
Prevalence
Radioimmunoassay
Thyroid Gland
Thyrotropin
Thyrotropin

Cited by  1 articles

Incidence & Prevalence of Hyperthyroidism and Preference for Therapeutic Modalities in Korea
Hyeon Seo Gi, Wook Kim Sun, Hoon Chung Jae
J Korean Thyroid Assoc. 2013;6(1):56-63.    doi: 10.11106/jkta.2013.6.1.56.


Reference

1. Ladenson PW, Singer PA, Ain KB, Bagchi N, Bigos ST, Levy EG, et al. American Thyroid Association guidelines for detection of thyroid dysfunction. Arch Intern Med. 2000. 160(11):1573–1575.
Article
2. Jung SW, Chang SY, Cho JJ. Prevalence of abnormal thyroid function test and significance of TSH in health examination. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 1993. 14(11):752–759.
3. Hollowell JG, Staehling NW, Flanders WD, Hannon WH, Gunter EW, Spencer CA, et al. Serum TSH, T(4), and thyroid antibodies in the United States population (1988 to 1994): National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002. 87(2):489–499.
Article
4. Chung JH, Kim KW, Kim BJ, Kim SH, Lee MS, Lee MG, et al. Prevalence of thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism in the subjects for health check-up. J Korean Soc Endocrinol. 1999. 14(2):301–313.
5. Oh MK, Cheon KS, Jung SM, Ryu DS, Park MS, Cheong SS, et al. Prevalence of thyroid diseases among adult for health check-up in a Youngdong area of Kwangwon province. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 2001. 22(9):1363–1374.
6. Stranley LR, Ramzi SC, Vinay K. Pathologic basis of disease. 1984. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders;1203.
7. Gibbons V, Conaglen JV, Lillis S, Naras V, Lawrenson R. Epidemiology of thyroid disease in Hamilton (New Zealand) general practice. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2008. 32(5):421–423.
Article
8. Schaaf L, Pohl T, Schmidt R, Vardali I, Teuber J, Schlote-Sauter B, et al. Screening for thyroid disorders in a working population. Clin Investig. 1993. 71(2):126–131.
Article
9. Bensenor I. Screening for thyroid disorders in asymptomatic adults from Brazilian populations. Sao Paulo Med J. 2002. 120(5):146–151.
Article
10. Petersen K, Lindstedt G, Lundberg PA, Bengtsson C, Lapidus L, Nystrom E. Thyroid disease in middle-aged and elderly Swedish women: thyroid-related hormones, thyroid dysfunction and goitre in relation to age and smoking. J Intern Med. 1991. 229(5):407–413.
Article
11. Muller AF, Berghout A, Wiersinga WM, Kooy A, Smits JW, Hermus AR. Thyroid function disorders-Guidelines of the Netherlands Association of Internal Medicine. Neth J Med. 2008. 66(3):134–142.
12. Glenn GC. Practice parameter on laboratory panel testing for screening and case finding in asymptomatic adults. Laboratory Testing Strategy Task Force of the College of American Pathologists. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1996. 120(10):929–943.
13. Helfand M, Crapo LM. Screening for thyroid disease. Ann Intern Med. 1990. 112(11):840–849.
Article
14. McBride JH, Thibeault RV, Rodgerson DO. Thyrotropin as measured by a sensitive immunoradiometric assay. Clin Chem. 1985. 31(11):1865–1867.
Article
15. Sawin CT, Castelli WP, Hershman JM, McNamara P, Bacharach P. The aging thyroid. Thyroid deficiency in the Framingham Study. Arch Intern Med. 1985. 145(8):1386–1388.
Article
16. Bjoro T, Holmen J, Kruger O, Midthjell K, Hunstad K, Schreiner T, et al. Prevalence of thyroid disease, thyroid dysfunction and thyroid peroxidase antibodies in a large, unselected population. The Health Study of Nord-Trondelag (HUNT). Eur J Endocrinol. 2000. 143(5):639–647.
Article
17. O'Leary PC, Feddema PH, Michelangeli VP, Leedman PJ, Chew GT, Knuiman M, et al. Investigations of thyroid hormones and antibodies based on a community health survey: the Busselton thyroid study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2006. 64(1):97–104.
18. Fisher CL, Mannino DM, Herman WH, Frumkin H. Cigarette smoking and thyroid hormone levels in males. Int J Epidemiol. 1997. 26(5):972–977.
Article
19. Asvold BO, Bjoro T, Nilsen TI, Vatten LJ. Tobacco smoking and thyroid function: a population-based study. Arch Intern Med. 2007. 167(13):1428–1432.
20. Kim BH, Kim WB, Kim TY, Kim HK, Jeon SH, Lee CW, et al. Association between cigarette smoking and thyroid function in adults without previous history of thyroid disease. J Korean Endocr Soc. 2008. 23(2):123–128.
Article
21. Vanderpump MP, Ahlquist JA, Franklyn JA, Clayton RN. Consensus statement for good practice and audit measures in the management of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The Research Unit of the Royal College of Physicians of London, the Endocrinology and Diabetes Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of London, and the Society for Endocrinology. BMJ. 1996. 313(7056):539–544.
Article
22. Baskin HJ, Cobin RH, Duick DS, Gharib H, Guttler RB, Kaplan MM, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists medical guidelines for clinical practice for the evaluation and treatment of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Endocr Pract. 2002. 8(6):457–469.
Article
23. Clinical guideline, part 1. Screening for thyroid disease. American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 1998. 129(2):141–143.
24. Lee GE, Park SA, Sung SW. Prevalence and significance of an abnormal results of electrolyte test in a periodic health examination. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 2003. 24(10):920–924.
25. Fatourechi V. Subclinical hypothyroidism: an update for primary care physicians. Mayo Clin Proc. 2009. 84(1):65–71.
Article
26. Asvold BO, Bjoro T, Nilsen TI, Gunnell D, Vatten LJ. Thyrotropin levels and risk of fatal coronary heart disease: the HUNT study. Arch Intern Med. 2008. 168(8):855–860.
Full Text Links
  • JKTA
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr