Abstract
Thyroid function tests (TFTs) are among the most requested tests internationally. However, testing practice is inconsistent, and potentially suboptimal and overly costly. The natural history of thyroid function remains poorly understood. To establish the stability of thyroid function over time, and identify predictors of development of overt thyroid dysfunction. Longitudinal follow-up in 19 general practices in the UK. A total of 2936 participants from the Birmingham Elderly Thyroid Study (BETS 1) with a baseline TFT result indicating euthyroid or subclinical state were re-tested after approximately 5 years. Change in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid status between baseline and follow-up was determined. Predictors of progression to overt dysfunction were modelled. Participants contributed 12 919 person-years; 17 cases of overt thyroid dysfunction were identified, 13 having been classified at baseline as euthyroid and four as having subclinical thyroid dysfunction. Individuals with subclinical results at baseline were 10- and 16-fold more likely to develop overt hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, respectively, compared with euthyroid individuals. TSH and FT4 demonstrated significant stability...Continue Reading
References
Jan 1, 1991·Clinical Endocrinology·J V ParleM C Sheppard
Dec 17, 1988·BMJ : British Medical Journal·R EggertsenG Lindstedt
Jul 1, 1995·Clinical Endocrinology·M P VanderpumpF Tunbridge
Apr 22, 1999·Thyroid : Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association·D A Koutras
Jul 11, 2002·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Gerold HuberLewis E Braverman
Jan 10, 2003·Clinical Endocrinology·G J Beckett, A D Toft
Jan 15, 2004·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Martin I SurksNeil J Weissman
Oct 9, 2004·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Juan J Díez, Pedro Iglesias
Apr 7, 2005·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Juan J DíezKenneth D Burman
Aug 2, 2005·Thyroid : Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association·Kenneth A Woeber
Sep 28, 2006·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Sue WilsonUNKNOWN Birmingham Elderly Thyroid Study Team
Oct 18, 2006·Annals of Internal Medicine·Lesley M RobertsJames V Parle
May 16, 2007·Archives of Internal Medicine·M D GammageJ A Franklyn
Nov 10, 2007·Endocrine Reviews·Bernadette Biondi, David S Cooper
Jun 14, 2008·Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN·Michel ChoncholGiovanni Targher
Dec 8, 2009·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Martin I Surks, Laura Boucai
May 27, 2010·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·J ParleF D R Hobbs
Mar 23, 2012·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Lily L SomwaruAnne R Cappola
Nov 24, 2012·Primary Health Care Research & Development·Jack AllportLesley M Roberts
Jun 19, 2013·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Tae Hyuk KimYoung Joo Park
Sep 6, 2015·Clinical Endocrinology·Pedro W S RosárioMaria Regina Calsolari
Citations
Apr 24, 2019·Palliative & Supportive Care·Tim LuckettMelanie Lovell
Jan 15, 2020·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Deborah McCahonLesley M Roberts
Jun 24, 2020·Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift·Christina Tugendsam, Amir Kurtaran
Oct 6, 2020·Thyroid : Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association·Robert S Du PuyJacobijn Gussekloo
Mar 16, 2021·Frontiers in Endocrinology·Evie van der SpoelDiana van Heemst
Oct 22, 2019·Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research·Jennifer S Mammen