Reliability of diagnosing clinical hypothyroidism in adults with Down syndrome

Abstract

Although thyroid dysfunction is associated with Down syndrome, the clinical manifestation of the dysfunction has not been fully researched. This study investigated the accuracy of diagnosing hypothyroidism in 160 adults with Down syndrome on clinical findings alone. A significant association between a clinical diagnosis of hypothyroidism and increasing age was found but no significant association was found between a clinical and a biochemical diagnosis. Regular biochemical screening for thyroid dysfunction in people with Down syndrome is recommended.