Evaluation of Thyroid Function in a Group of Recently Diagnosed Patients with Thyroid Diseases Followed up at the Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of the University of Ribeirão Preto (Unaerp) - São Paulo, Brazil

Introduction: The determination of thyroid dysfunction is part of the clinical investigation in different medical specialties. Non-thyroid disorders, certain medications and age may affect the hormonal results. The presence of anti-TSH or anti-thyroid hormone antibodies may result in abnormal findings. Objective: To evaluate thyroid function parameters in a group of subjects with recently diagnosed and untreated thyroid disease taking no medication. Cases: The study was conducted on 301 patients of both sexes, 275 of them non-pregnant women (91.3%) aged 18 to 87 years and 26 of them men (8.7%) aged 21 to 85 years. The subjects were compared to 166 control patients with no thyroid disorders, 123 of them women (75.3%) aged 18 to 81 years and 43 of them men (24.7%) aged 19 to 66 years. The patients were divided into the following groups: Group A-Control Patients; Group B-Subclinical Hypothyroidism; Group C-Clinical Hypothyroidism; Group D-Subclinical Hyperthyroidism; Group E-Clinical Hyperthyroidism; Group F-Chronic Thyroiditis; Group G-Goiter; Group H-Papilliferous Carcinoma; Group I-Previous Hyperthyroidism. Results: The female sex was preponderant in all groups, with no males occurring in the Clinical Hyperthyroidism, Papilliferous Carcinoma or Previous Hyperthyroidism groups. Patients with Subclinical Hyperthyroidism and Goiter belonged to significantly older age ranges. Mean TSH values were higher in the Clinical and Subclinical Hyperthyroidism Groups. Free T4 and T3 levels were significantly lower in Clinical Hypothyroidism and significantly higher in Clinical Hyperthyroidism. Mean Thyroglobulin levels were significantly higher in the Goiter Group and mean Anti-Thyroglobulin antibody (Anti-Tg) and Anti-Thyroperoxidase (Anti-TPO) levels were significantly higher in the Chronic Thyroiditis group. The Anti-TSH receptor (TRAB) antibody was significantly higher in the Clinical Hyperthyroidism Group and the finding of Toxic Multinodular Goiter predominated in the Subclinical Hyperthyroidism Group. Conclusion: Autoimmune thyroid disorders predominated among females and in the less advanced age ranges and structural thyroid disorders and high level of thyroglobulin predominated in the more advanced age ranges.