Prevalence of thyroid disorders among older people: results from the São Paulo Ageing & Health Study

Abstract

[women: 0.8% (0.2-1.5); men: 0.4% (0.01-0.9)]; overt hypothyroidism, 5.7% (4.5-6.9) [women: 5.9% (4.3-7.5); men: 5.4% (3.5-7.3)]; subclinical hyperthyroidism, 2. 4% (1.6-3.2) [women: 2.8% (1.6-3.9); men: 1.9% (0.7-3.0)]; and subclinical hypothyroidism, 6.5% (5.2-7.8) [women: 6.7% (5.0-8.4 IntroductionThyroid diseases are frequent in older individuals, and symptoms of hypothyroidism such as tiredness, fatigue, lack of concentration or dry skin can be very similar to complaints associated to ageing 1,2 . Even for hyperthyroidism, clinical presentation in elderly people is much more silent when compared to middle-aged people 3 . Beyond symptoms associated with thyroid disorders, epidemiologic studies have shown a possible association between subclinical and overt thyroid disorders and cardiovascular disease 3,4,5,6 .A review published by the American College of Physicians estimated for population studies a pooled prevalence of overt hypothyroidism in women ≥ 70 years of 2% and in men ≥ 60 years of 0.8%. For overt hyperthyroidism, the numbers were 0.6% for women ≥ 60 years and 0.1% for men ≥ 60 years 7 . Based on these data, some authors 8,9 , have recommended screening for thyroid disorders especially in elderly people but this is not the view expressed in position papers from both the US Preventive Services Task Force 10 and the Canadian Task Force 11 . However, among older people with unspecified complaints, to rule out thyroid dysfunction is always a dilemma considering that only one third of cases show typical signs and symptoms of the disease, and treatment is cost effective 12 .ARTIGO ARTICLE Benseñor IM et al.

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“…In the age group of 51-60 also the proportion of thyroid disorder is more in males as compared to that of females being 0.9 % and 0.4 % of hyperthyroidism, 1.5% and 0.7% of hypothyroidism, 2.2% and 1.7% of subclinical hypothyroidism respectively among males and females which is consistent with the findings of researchers 25,26 . However Anderson et.…”

Consenso brasileiro para a abordagem clínica e tratamento do hipotireoidismo subclínico em adultos: recomendações do Departamento de Tireoide da Sociedade Brasileira de Endocrinologia e Metabologia

“…In the metropolitan area of São Paulo, the prevalence of hypothyroidism in 1,085 individuals was 8% (9). Among 1,110 individuals from a Japanese-Brazilian population of Bauru ≥ 30 years old, the prevalence of hypothyroidism was 11.1% in females and 8.7% in males (10), and in an elderly population of São Paulo city, the prevalence of SCH was 6.5% and 6.1% for females and males, respectively (11).…”

Epidemicity of Thyroid Gland Disorders Among Ranya Town Dwellers: A Hospital-Based Survey

“…The distribution of sub-clinical hypothyroidism cases was decreased in both sexes with the advancing age, but within each group case, the percentage rate of female was greater than in male. In thyroid disorders participants which aged above 65 years old, the prevalence of subclinical hyperthyroidism, overt hyperthyroidism, sub-clinical hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism in women are greater than in men (Benseñor et al, 2011). Thyroid gland is most affected to morphological and physiological alterations by the process of aging as compared to other endocrinal glands (Gesing et al, 2012).…”