Dissociation of clinical and laboratory diagnosis in hypothyroidism.
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2005-01-29
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Abstract
AIMS OF THE STUDY: To assess the significance of clinical versus biochemical diagnosis of hypothyroidism using a clinical scoring index and optimize the therapeutic dose of levothyroxine in Indian patients.
METHODOLOGY: Three hundred and eighty eight cases of primary hypothyroidism (male:female ratio 1:5.8) were clinically classified as hypothyroid, euthyroid or inconclusive by Billewicz score. TSH estimation was repeated at 6-8 week intervals and appropriate adjustments in levothyroxine dosage made till the TSH was within the normal range.
RESULTS: Of 388 biochemically confirmed hypothyroid subjects less than one fourth (21.6%) could be classified as hypothyroid, almost one half were euthyroid (48.4%) and the remaining (29.9%) fell in the inconclusive category according to Billewiz score. Of 227 patients who returned for complete follow up there was a positive correlation of replacement dose with age and initial weight in females, but not in males. Baseline TSH values were not found to have a significant correlation with the initial dose. The mean replacement dose of levothyroxine (T4) in our subjects was 109.4 +/- 24.05 microg/d (range 1.25-3.84 microg/kg).
CONCLUSION: Clinical parameters alone fare poorly in establishing an unequivocal diagnosis of hypothyroidism. A biochemical confirmation is mandatory. The replacement done of T4 was found to be independent of the basal TSH level.
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Bajaj S, Sharma GP, Kumar D, Mehrotra R. Dissociation of clinical and laboratory diagnosis in hypothyroidism. Journal of the Association of Physicians of India. 2005 Jan; 53(): 15-8