Thyroid and Pregnancy

For a decade S. Korea has the highest suicide rate among OECD countries even with fabulous medical check-ups and insurances. But unfortunately, Thyroid Function Test(TFT) has not been included in routine check-ups. Even if asked, blood sampling and follow-up is relatively ignored compared with expensive ultrasonography to rule out cancer, which threatens to everyone . Many symptoms of psychiatric disorder are known to be interfered by dysthyroidism. But in the case of subclinical dysthyroidism, treatment strategies are controversial. We’ve found how many psychiatric outpatients are suffered from subclinical dysthyroidism and their relation with autonomic nerve system activity and clinical improvement.

 

METHODS: The 335 outpatients in this study were recruited and 244 subjects who meet diagnostic criteria of Schizophrenia spectrum disorder, Affective spectrum disorder, Panic disorder. Heart Rate Variability(HRV) Tests and blood sampling to check Thyroid hormone were performed to all patients, both of which results are not interfered by any intention. Clinical Global Improvement Scale was used to know the effect of thyroid treatment in subclinical dysthyroidism. Descriptive statistics were used to check how many patients recognized dysthyroidism for the first time and ANCOVA was used to evaluate the differences between euthyroid and dysthyroid group in symptoms and autonomic nerve system activities. Partial correlation and Multiple regression analysis were conducted to determine thyroid hormone as a predictive value.

 

CONCLUSION: CGI score (not shown above) in dysthyroid group after administration of T4 showed significant improvement (p<0.01),especially co-morbid addiction pathology with panic disorder and with Depressive disorder. This Study has successfully proved via HRV test that Thyroid Hormone, which relates with oxidative stress and neuronal degeneration, can be one of major predictive factors in planning treatment strategy and assuming prognosis. Repeated multi-centered study will be required to validate this result, so as to be one of references in planning national suicide prevention program.