Clinical picture versus concentration of triiodothyronine in patients with hypothyroidism

Beata Matuszek; Aleksandra Pyzik; Katarzyna Strawa-Zakościelna; Marian Jędrych; Andrzej Nowakowski

Authors

Beata Matuszek Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7386-8087
Aleksandra Pyzik Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin Author
Katarzyna Strawa-Zakościelna Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8525-5402
Marian Jędrych Department of Mathematics and Medical Biostatistics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1661-9583
Andrzej Nowakowski Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin Author

Keywords:

hypothyroidism, symptomatology, free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4)

Abstract

Hypothyroidism may be asymptomatic, especially when subclinical, because typical symptoms of hypothyroidism are manifested in patients with a lower concentration of free triiodothyronine (fT3), whereas they are rare or may not be manifested in patients with a normal fT3 concentration but with a lower concentration of free thyroxine. The aim of the study was a retrospective analysis of symptomatology of hypothyroidism and search for a correlation with fT3 concentration of in blood serum. A total of 241 outpatients with hypothyroidism treated in 2009 (188 women, 53 men), mean age 55.4±15.6, were divided into two groups: group I: 151 patients with a normal fT3 concentration and group II: 90 patients with a lower fT3 concentration in blood serum at diagnosis. During a retrospective evaluation of patients' medical documentation, we searched for correlations between the clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism and fT3 concentration. The clinical picture of patients with hypothyroidism showed that typical symptoms appeared more frequently in group II, which, however, was of no statistical importance. The most commonly reported symptoms in this group were: weight gain 26.67%, drowsiness 24.44%, weakness 15.56% and dry skin 11.11%, whereas in group I non-typical hypothyroidism symptoms dominated – connected with circulatory system, i.e. symptoms of ischaemic heart disease 15.54% and arrhythmia 11.92%. In both groups similar values of the following manifestations were found (group I vs. group II): lipid disorders 43.71% vs. 42.22%, hypertension 32.45% vs. 31.11%, puffy eyes 7.28% vs. 6.67%, respectively. At diagnosis of hypothyroidism, the clinical picture does not correlate with the fT3 concentration in the studied group. Routine thyroid function testing remains the most reliable way to identify patients with thyroid failure.

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Clinical picture versus concentration of triiodothyronine in patients with hypothyroidism

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