Thyroid Dysfunction in Elderly

Thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine disorder among older adults, with prevalence increasing due to age-related physiological changes and the high burden of chronic diseases (1).

It is estimated that 20-30% of individuals aged 60 years and above have some form of thyroid dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism (2).

Aging affects thyroid hormone secretion, metabolism, and tissue responsiveness, which may alter thyroid function tests even in the absence of overt disease (3).

In elderly patients, thyroid disorders often present with nonspecific or atypical manifestations such as fatigue, cognitive decline, and weight changes, leading to underdiagnosis (4).

Subclinical thyroid dysfunction is also highly prevalent and frequently detected incidentally (5).

Older adults commonly suffer from multiple comorbidities involving different organ systems, which complicates both clinical presentation and interpretation of thyroid function tests (6).

Thyroid dysfunction has been associated with adverse outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, and increased mortality (7).

Polypharmacy is highly prevalent in this population, with many patients receiving five or more medications concurrently (8).

Several drugs can interfere with thyroid function or its laboratory assessment (9).

Despite the clinical importance of this issue, limited data are available in our locality regarding the combined effect of comorbidities and polypharmacy on thyroid function in older adults. Therefore, this study aims to investigate this association.

Inclusion criteria

Older adult patients aged 60 years or older attending the internal medicine, family medicine, and Geriatric department, both males and females.

Exclusion criteria

patients previously diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction or currently receiving thyroid related treatment, patients with a history of thyroid malignancy, or with end stage organ failure