Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: To know characteristics of patients older than 80 years with thyroid disease.

Patients and methods: Prospective 6-month study in which we analyze characteristics of patients that have been treated and followed for thyroid disease in endocrinology consult.

Results: Hundred and fifteen patients were analyzed of them, 23 men and 92 women, with 83.78±2.12 years-old. Comorbidities. Arterial hypertension 53%, previous neoplasms 18%, CHF15%, COPD 11%, cognitive impairment 11%, stroke 8%, ischemic heart disease 8%, chronic renal failure 6%. Thyroid pathologies were: hyperthyroidism 29% euthyroid goiters 28%, hypothyroidism 16%, subclinical hyperthyroidism 13%, thyroid cancer 6%, subclinical hypothyroidism 4%, amiodarone thyroiditis 4%. Study and treatment used was similar to patients under 80 year-old, multinodular goiter was the most frequently cause of hyperthyroidism. Metabolic pathologies associated: dyslipidemia 35%, type 2 diabetes mellitus 30%, osteoporosis 19%, hyperuricemia 10%, obesity 7%, hypoparathyroidism secondary to surgery 4%.

Discussion: The most common form of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly is subclinical hypothyroidism occurring up to 15%. In our study was hyperthyroidism, possibly due that subclinical hypothyroidism was controlled from primary care. Prevalence of hyperthyroidism in elderly ranges from 0.5 to 2.3%.The most frequents causes were toxic multinodular goiter, Graves’ disease, toxic adenoma. Subclinical hyperthyroidism may be present in up to 2%.

Conclusions: The prevalence of thyroid disease in elderly is higher than the general population and is associated with significant morbidity. Usually in the elderly healthy population there is a high rate of thyroid dysfunctions that are not detected. Dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus were the main associated endocrine pathologies.