<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_abm-2019-0045_s_005_w2aab2b8c21b1b7b1aab1c14b1Aa"><h3>Background</h3><p>Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) might have many symptoms of hypothyroidism. The controversy appears to lower the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and group subjects with TSH of more than 3 or even 2.5 mIU/L as SCH subjects.</p></sec><sec id="j_abm-2019-0045_s_006_w2aab2b8c21b1b7b1aab1c14b2Aa"><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To assess SCH subjects both clinically using Zulewski clinical score and biochemically and to evaluate whether the euthyroid subjects with high-normal TSH (HNT) have any clinical symptom or subnormal biochemical finding.</p></sec><sec id="j_abm-2019-0045_s_007_w2aab2b8c21b1b7b1aab1c14b3Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>A prospective cross-sectional study of 233 subjects, 67 with SCH and 166 euthyroidism, was conducted. Euthyroid subjects were divided according to the level of TSH as HNT (>2.5 mIU/L) and low-normal TSH (0.5–2.5 mIU/L). The subjects were examined for clinical feature including Zulewski clinical score and biochemical evaluations including thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) titer. The comparisons between groups were assessed using independent sample <italic>t</italic> test, and correlations between variables were evaluated using Pearson correlation.</p></sec><sec id="j_abm-2019-0045_s_008_w2aab2b8c21b1b7b1aab1c14b4Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>A significantly higher clinical score and higher frequencies of symptoms were found in the SCH group compared to the euthyroid group. The most frequent symptom was fatigue. Euthyroid subjects with HNT were found to have higher TPO-Ab titers than those with low-normal TSH, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05. The Zulewski clinical score was positively correlated with TSH and TPO-Ab titer but negatively correlated with the FT4 level, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05.</p></sec><sec id="j_abm-2019-0045_s_009_w2aab2b8c21b1b7b1aab1c14b5Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Zulewski clinical score is higher in SCH subjects compared to euthyroid subjects and can aid in assessing SCH subjects. A significant correlation exists between Zulewski clinical score and each of the TSH, FT4, and TPO-Ab titer levels. The frequency of TPO-Ab positivity is high in SCH. Additionally, euthyroid with higher TSH levels has higher level of TPO-Ab titer but not higher clinical score.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundSubclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) might have many symptoms of hypothyroidism. The controversy appears to lower the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and group subjects with TSH of more than 3 or even 2.5 mIU/L as SCH subjects.ObjectivesTo assess SCH subjects both clinically using Zulewski clinical score and biochemically and to evaluate whether the euthyroid subjects with high-normal TSH (HNT) have any clinical symptom or subnormal biochemical finding.MethodsA prospective cross-sectional study of 233 subjects, 67 with SCH and 166 euthyroidism, was conducted. Euthyroid subjects were divided according to the level of TSH as HNT (>2.5 mIU/L) and low-normal TSH (0.5–2.5 mIU/L). The subjects were examined for clinical feature including Zulewski clinical score and biochemical evaluations including thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) titer. The comparisons between groups were assessed using independent sample t test, and correlations between variables were evaluated using Pearson correlation.ResultsA significantly higher clinical score and higher frequencies of symptoms were found in the SCH group compared to the euthyroid group. The most frequent symptom was fatigue. Euthyroid subjects with HNT were found to have higher TPO-Ab titers than those with low-normal TSH, P < 0.05. The Zulewski clinical score was positively correlated with TSH and TPO-Ab titer but negatively correlated with the FT4 level, P < 0.05.ConclusionsZulewski clinical score is higher in SCH subjects compared to euthyroid subjects and can aid in assessing SCH subjects. A significant correlation exists between Zulewski clinical score and each of the TSH, FT4, and TPO-Ab titer levels. The frequency of TPO-Ab positivity is high in SCH. Additionally, euthyroid with higher TSH levels has higher level of TPO-Ab titer but not higher clinical score.

Assessment of subclinical hypothyroidism for a clinical score and thyroid peroxidase antibody: a comparison with euthyroidism grouped by different thyroid-stimulating hormone levels

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

BackgroundSubclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) might have many symptoms of hypothyroidism. The controversy appears to lower the level of thyroid-stimulating...

Assessment of subclinical hypothyroidism for a clinical score and thyroid peroxidase antibody: a comparison with euthyroidism grouped by different thyroid-stimulating hormone levels

Article Category: Original article

Published Online: Dec 30, 2019

Page range: 85 - 93

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/abm-2019-0045

Keywords
anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody, clinical feature, euthyroid, subclinical hypothyroidism, zulewski score

© 2019 Abdulateef and Mahwi, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Assessment of subclinical hypothyroidism for a clinical score and thyroid peroxidase antibody: a comparison with euthyroidism grouped by different thyroid-stimulating hormone levels

Article Category: Original article

Published Online: Dec 30, 2019

Page range: 85 - 93

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/abm-2019-0045

Keywordsanti-thyroid peroxidase antibody, clinical feature, euthyroid, subclinical hypothyroidism, zulewski score

© 2019 Abdulateef and Mahwi, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody, clinical feature, euthyroid, subclinical hypothyroidism, zulewski score