[Thyroid dysfunction in hospital worker population].
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction (TD) and thyroid autoimmunity (TA) in hospital employees in our country is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of TD and TA in a group of hospital employees.


METHODS
We studied thyroid function (thyrotropin, TSH, free thyroxine, T4, and free triiodothyronine, T3) and thyroid autoimmunity (anti-thyroglobulin, antiTg and anti-thyroid peroxidase, antiTPO) in 310 adult subjects (18-70 years) from the hospital General, Segovia, Spain during 2007.


RESULTS
Eleven subjects (3.5%, 10 women) had previously known TD. Thirty-four subjects (11.0%) were diagnosed of unknown TD, mainly subclinical hypothyroidism (8.4%). Prevalence of total TD was 14.2%. TA was positive in 44 (14.2%) subjects. Both TD (P<0.05) and TA (P<0.05) were associated with female sex, and antiTPO levels were related to the presence of unknown TD (OR 1.007; 95% CI, 1.004-1.010; P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In this population, total prevalence of TD and TA is similar (14%). Increased antiTPO titers are predictors of unknown TD.
Iglesias
P
P
Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España. piglo65@gmail.com
Lázaro
J
J
Velasco
G
G
Díez
J J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult