Abstract

Amballi A. A , Adeleye A.O, Oritogun K.S and Salu L.O

Thyroid dysfunction is an important endocrine metabolic disorder which currently does not receive enough attention as required in this environment. However, while many clinical situations arise from thyroid dysfunction, others precipitate it. This study investigated the pattern of thyroid dysfunction using the outcomes of requests for thyroid function tests in a semi-urban Nigerian population, and it involved 607 patients . The patients (age bracket 1-75years) were those whose sera were brought for analysis in a private laboratory in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study showed a unique pattern of observations. From the serum T4 values, out of the 607 patients’ Samples analyzed, 155 samples indicated hyperthyroidism. This is 25.5% proportion of the requests made during this period. Similarly, 51 Samples indicated hypothyroidism, this is 8.4% proportion of the requests made during this period. This shows that about 34.0% proportion of the requests revealed thyroid dysfunction.Similarly, with T3 estimations the pattern of dysfunction followed the same trend, though the proportions differ.Another observation in this study is that thyroid dysfunction occurs more in the females than males and that the age group 36-45 years are those mainly affected, there is however no statistically significant associaton between gender or age and T3/T4.The TSH values suggested that the major dysfunction in this environment is due to primary hyperthyroidism and there is a significant association between TSH and Sex. This study, although simply designed, has given some baseline information about thyroid dysfunction in the study environment . One is the fact that about one-third of the samples analyzed showed thyroid dysfunction, indicating that many people in the study environment have thyroid dysfunction, and hyperthyroidism is commoner. Secondly, it also shows that thyroid dysfunction is commoner in females and people in age range 36-45years are more affected. Since there is paucity of information on thyroid dysfunction in the study environment, the findings of this study are compelling and should motivate clinicians and researchers in the study environment to consider problems relating to thyroid dysfunction more often than before. It will also create awareness to the general public.