title: [Prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Andalusia, Spain, Determined by Thyroid Hormone Comsumption].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypothyroidism is the most common condition linked to a hormone deficiency, nevertheless data on its prevalence are scarce in Spain. For that reason, we have estimated its prevalence through the registration of patients who had used thyroid hormones in Andalusia (South Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of patients who had withdrawn levothyroxine under the public system during 2014 from the base of the Andalusian Health Service were considered. Prevalence were calculated with confidence intervals of 95% for each management area, stratified by sex and age groups, and differences between them were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  321,368 people (98% older than 18 years and 83% female) were identified as levothyroxine users and a prevalence of hypothyroidism of 3.95% (95%CI:3.94-3.96) was estimated for the general population. The condition was more common in females, in the older 18 years 7.81% (95%CI:7.80 to 7.82) compared to males 1.75% (95%CI:1.73-1.77) with a ratio of 4.5-fold. It increases in the population of women older than 45 years, 10.32% (95%CI:10.30-0.32) and in the over 60 years 11.37% (95%CI: 11.35-11.40). The prevalence in adult women in the western provinces is 7.38% (95%CI:7.36-7.40), in the eastern provinces 8.59% (95%CI:8.57-8.62) and in coastal areas 6.70% (95%CI: 6.68-6.72) compared to the mountainous ones, which is 8.91% (95%CI:8.88-8.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results denote a high prevalence of hypothyroidism in the adult population of Andalusia compared to the nearby countries, with a clear increased associated with females and age. Furthermore, the prevalence of the illness presents also a geographically-related variability.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de San Roque. Área de Gestión Sanitaria Campo de Gibraltar. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escribano-Serrano
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Ciudad Jardín. Distrito de Atención Primaria Málaga-Guadalhorce. Málaga. España.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancera-Romero
authors.affiliation: Fundación para la la Gestión de la Investigación Biomédica Cádiz. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Santos-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Farmacia. Área de Gestión Sanitaria Campo de Gibraltar. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Payá-Giner
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Farmacia. Área de Gestión Sanitaria Campo de Gibraltar. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Mª Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Méndez-Esteban
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Farmacia. Área de Gestión Sanitaria Norte de Cádiz. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Bonilla
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Farmacia. Distrito de Atención Primaria Cádiz-Bahía de Cádiz-La Janda. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Márquez-Ferrando
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Puerta Blanca. DAP Málaga-Guadalhorce. Málaga. España.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hormigo-Pozo
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica Medicina Interna-Dermatología. AGS Norte de Cádiz. Hospital de Jerez. Departamento de Medicina. Facultad de Medicina. Cádiz. España.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michán-Doña
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine
keywords: Geographic Factors; Hypothyroidism; Pharmacoepidemiology; Prevalence; Sex Ratio; Spain; Thyroxine