Thyroid Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Women: Across Section Study

Abstract

This study was conducted on postmenopausal women who went to internal medicine and gynaecological outpatient clinics for various purposes during the period from 1/3/2021 to 1/2/2022. The aim of this work was to study possible relationship between thyroid disorders and menopause. Our study included 80 women who were postmenopausal. Patient with history of thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, liver disease, renal disease and patient on amiodarone or other drugs that affect thyroid function were excluded from the study.All cases were subjected to the following: History , examination , Routine investigations and Thyroid gland hormones (TSH, free T3 and free T4) and thyroid autoantibodies (TPO and TG).The result of this study showed that: Among our post-menopausal women there was 17.5% of them had thyroid disorders. The frequency of different thyroid disorders in our post-menopausal women was as follow: 10 women out of 80 (representing 12.5%) were overt hypothyroid, 4 women (5%) had subclinical hypothyroidism and 22 women (27.5%) classified as non-thyroidal illness syndrome. While 44 women (55%) were euthyroid. Thyroid auto antibodies were detected in 15% in cases of the study distributed as follow: 5% were overt hypothyroid, 2.5% had subclinical hypothyroidism and 7.5% were euthyroid women. Conclusion: Thyroid disorders are common in women in postmenopausal age. Overt hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid disorder in them, followed by subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid autoantibodies are present in high percentage of women whether they have thyroid disorders or are euthyroid.