Author/Authors :
AZIM, WAQAR Pakistan Navy Ship Shifa (PNS SHIFA) - Department of Pathology, Pakistan , AZIM, WAQAR Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute - Department of Medicine, Pakistan , ALI, ASIF Pakistan Navy Ship Shifa (PNS SHIFA) - Department of Pathology, Pakistan , ALI, ASIF Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute - Department of Medicine, Pakistan , AZIM, SAAD Pakistan Navy Ship Shifa (PNS SHIFA) - Department of Pathology, Pakistan , AZIM, SAAD Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute - Department of Medicine, Pakistan
Abstract :
Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) estimation is an ideal investigation for thyroid disease. It gives most comprehensive information about whether a patient has a thyroid disease and what is the cause. It has been frequently observed in clinical settings that complete profile of thyroid function tests is advised for screening and vague symptoms. Aims and objectives of current study were to assess the usefulness of TSH alone as a screening tool of thyroid disease. It also aimed at evaluating the extra information generated by analyzing fT3 and fT4 in screening. It was a prospective comparative cross sectional study. Adult patients referred for routine thyroid disease were selected for study. Their history was taken and detailed clinical examination was carried out. FT3, fT4 and TSH were analyzed by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Results revealed that in % of cases with normal TSH, fT3 and fT4 remained normal. Likewise in 116 cases with normal fT3 and fT4, TSH was abnormal leading to diagnosis of sub-clinical hypothyroidism in (88%) cases and sub-clinical hyperthyroidism in (28%) cases. In total of 213 abnormal TSH cases fT3 was abnormal in 19 cases and fT4 was abnormal in 87 cases. It was concluded that in cases with normal TSH values there is no need of fT3 and fT4. Only patients with abnormal TSH merit detailed evaluation
