Korean J Fam Pract.  2022 Dec;12(5):333-339. 10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.5.333.

Association between Subclinical Thyroidism and Health Related Quality of Life: Based on the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Nam HS
• Yoon YS
• Yang YJ
• Lee ES
• Lee JH
• Kook HS
• Kwon HJ

• KMID: 2536828
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.5.333

Abstract

Background
Subclinical thyroidism is defined by abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels with normal free thyroxine (T4) levels. This study aimed to verify the association between thyroidism and health-related quality of life measured using the EQ-5D questionnaire.
Methods
Study subjects were 4,859 adults aged ≥19 years with normal free T4 levels and abnormal serum TSH levels (≥0.45 mIU/L) who had participated in the 6th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A serum TSH level of 0.45–4.49 mIU/L was defined as the reference range. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between subclinical thyroidism and health-related quality of life after the adjustment for covariates.
Results
The prevalence of subclinical thyroidism was 46.7% in male and 53.3% in female. After the adjustment for confounding variables, no significant association was noted between male or female in the risk of a decreased health-related quality of life. For male, the odds ratio of having problems with daily activities was 4.29 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.76–10.46), higher in the subclinical hyperthyroidism versus euthyroid group among the EQ-5D items. On the other hand, in female, the odds ratio of having problems with self-management was 2.99 (95% CI, 1.03–8.73), while the odds ratio of having problems with daily activities was 2.39 (95% CI, 1.16–4.88) in the subclinical hypothyroidism versus euthyroid group.
Conclusion
Subclinical thyroidism was associated with a decrease in health-related quality of life that differed between male and female.

Keyword

Subclinical Hypothyroidism; Subclinical Hyperthyroidism; Health-Related Quality of Life; EQ-5D