Prevalence of hypothyroidism and its association with anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody among adult sea food consuming population attending a tertiary health care centre in Kerala

Abstract

Background: Thereis less data on the prevalence of hypothyroidism in adult population of India. Currently with iodine supplementation and availability of iodine rich nutritious food,the iodine deficiency etiology in hypothyroidism is no more applicable. So it is useful to estimate thyroid auto-antibodies to thyroid peroxidase in these people to exclude autoimmune thyroiditis. Objectives: This study was undertaken to know the prevalence of hypothyroidism and its association with Anti-TPO antibody among adult sea food consuming population. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 300 patients was conducted in the Department of General surgery, Dr.SMCSI Medical College, Karakonam,Trivandrum during December 2012 to January 2014. Patients data collected, the relevant laboratory test(serum FT3, FT4 and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone [TSH]) done. Thyroid abnormalities were diagnosed on the basis of these laboratory results.Anti TPO antibody was estimated in those patients with hypothyroidism(High TSH) using Calbiotech Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) IgG ELISA Kit. Results: Totally 30.4% of subjects had thyroid dysfunction, prevalence of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism was 11.7 % and 15% respectively. Anti TPO antibody was positive in 71.4 % hypothyroid patients and 68.9 % subclinical hypothyroid patients. TSH had a significant positive correlation (r = 0.324, p=0.003) with anti TPO. There was a significant relation between hypothyroidism and Anti TPO Antibody suggesting thyroid autoimmunity as a risk factor for hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Significant relation between hypothyroidism and Anti TPO Antibody was found, suggesting thyroid autoimmunity as a risk factor for hypothyroidism.Autoimmune thyroiditis can be considered as one of the etiological factors for hypothyroidism in our population. But Iodine status or autoimmunity do not explain all thyroid dysfunction .Hence further studies are required to address these problems.