Biochemical pattern and prevalence of thyroid disorders among adults in a tertiary hospital in North-East Nigeria

Abstract

Thyroid disorders are a relatively common group of endocrine disorders globally. Thyroid function tests are critical for diagnosing, screening, and prognosticating thyroidal and non-thyroidal diseases, and their accurate interpretation is required for effective and accurate patient management. A retrospective analysis of thyroid function tests - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free Thyroxine (fT4), and Free Triiodothyronine (fT3) - was carried out at a Nigerian tertiary hospital between January 2017 and January 2024. The tests were conducted using an enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay system and interpreted following standard protocols. A preponderance of female patients was investigated for thyroid diseases, with a male-female ratio of 2.2:1. The majority (80.8%) of the analyzed requests showed a euthyroid pattern; primary hyperthyroidism was the most common biochemical pattern of thyroid dysfunction observed, accounting for 10.8% of all the analyzed requests. Secondary hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were generally rare. Occasional cases (0.3%) of T3 toxicosis were also observed. Goiters remain a common presentation of thyroid diseases in our environment. Primary hyperthyroidism and primary hypothyroidism are the most common forms of thyroid dysfunction observed.