title: Hypothyroidism: its incidence and prevalence in adults older than 55 years of age in an acute rehabilitation unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence and prevalence of hypothyroidism in the acute rehabilitation unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient rehabilitation unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five men and 91 women older than the age of 55 years (average, 74 years) separated into postsurgical (PS) and nonsurgical (NS) groups. Twenty-two men and 76 women were PS, 21 of whom had a history of hypothyroidism. Thirteen men and 15 women were NS, and 4 in this group had a history of hypothyroidism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 34 cases of hypothyroidism, a prevalence rate of 27%. The incidence of newly diagnosed cases was 9% (9 of 101). Six of the newly diagnosed cases were PS patients and three were NS patients. Eleven cases of undertreated hypothyroidism were found, in 9 PS patients and 2 NS patients. The rate of undertreated hypothyroidism in the PS population was 43% (9 of 21); in the nonsurgical population, it was 50% (2 of 4). The overall rate of undertreated hypothyroidism for both PS and NS groups was 44% (11 of 25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high prevalence of hypothyroidism on an inpatient rehabilitation unit and a high rate of undertreated hypothyroidism in PS patients. Screening high-risk patients is recommended.
authors: Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove, NY, USA.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Cristian
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Berlow
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ravishankar
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Root
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine