A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Thyroid Abnormalities in a Two-Year Outpatient Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of thyroid disorders, particularly disseminated Graves’ disease and thyroid nodules, is escalating within the general population. Irregular activation of the immune system is a key factor in causing autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto thyroiditis. However, the development of autoimmune disorders is influenced by a combination of environmental factors such as urbanization, pollution, and iodine intake. Methods and Results: The study involved 204 patients with thyroid disorders at the department of endocrinology in the outpatient clinic over the past 2 years. The data collection of demographical and clinical information included age, gender, clinical features, laboratory tests, and instrumental analysis. The mean age of participants was 44.35±14.29 years, and females comprised 91.2% of the cases. Among them, 46.1% had thyroid nodules, 36.8% presented with Grave’s disease, 13.2% with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and 3.9% with thyroid hyperplasia. The patients with Grave’s disease, the average levels of thyroid antibodies were as follows: anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (Anti-TSHR ) at 21.91±14.02 IU/L, anti-thyroglobulin (Anti-TG) at 265.91±406.03 IU/ml, and anti-thyroid peroxidase (Anti-TPO) at 319.3±327.1 IU/ml, respectively. Additionally, the mean thyroid enlargement was 29.60±16.08 ml. The participants were categorized based on their geographical region, with the distribution as follows: central region 59.3%, northern region 20.1% western region 10.8%, and eastern region 9.8%. Conclusion: Thyroid disorders are prevalent in our population, with greater incidence in females than males. The majority of cases (46.1%) involved thyroid nodules, with a peak age of above 30 years among participants. The central region, particularly the capital city (Ulaanbaatar), exhibited the highest prevalence at 59.3%, as highlighted by the distribution of thyroid abnormalities.