[High prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among psychiatric inpatients].
BACKGROUND
Thyroid dysfunction is frecuent in psychiatric outpatients and in the general Chilean population but there is no information about the prevalence of thyroid diseases in Chilean psychiatric inpatients.


OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively assess the frequency of thyroidal diseases in psychiatric inpatients.


METHODS
Clinical charts and thyroid assessment of 241 psychiatric inpatients (147 women, mean age 33+/-16 years) attended in a University Psychiatric Clinic, were reviewed. Psychiatric diagnosis at discharge was made according to DSM IV criteria and endocrine diagnosis was made based on international criteria.


RESULTS
Forty nine patients (20.7%) had thyroid abnormalities. Forty four patients had hypothyroidism (18.3%) and five had hyperthyroidism (2.35%). No specific associations were found between gender or psychiatric diagnosis and endocrine abnormalities.


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample, the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities was similar to other reports in psychiatric inpatiens and higher than in the general population in Chile.
Valdivieso F
Sergio
S
Departamento de Psiquiatría, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. svaldivi@med.puc.cl
Kripper
Cristóbal
C
Ivelic
José Antonio
JA
Fardella
Carlos
C
Gloger
Sergio
S
Quiroz
Danilo
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005067:Euthyroid Sick Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D013963:Thyroid Hormones