Frequency of depression in patients affected by subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism: A cross-section study

Marijana Jandrić-Kočić; Snežana Knežević

doi:10.5937/pramed2202021j

Abstract

Introduction. Hypothyroidism can be accompanied by various neuropsychiatric manifestations ranging from mild depression and anxiety to psychosis. Objective. The study aimed to determine the presence of depression in patients with hypothyroidism (clinical and subclinical). Methods. The survey was conducted over twenty-four months, from 01. 07. 2017. to 01. 07. 2019., at the Health Center Krupa na Uni. The cross-sectional study included 160 persons, two groups of 80 persons each. The first group included those with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism, while the control group consisted of people with neat, thyroid function. In addition to the general questionnaire, the study used Beck's Depression Inventory and laboratory analyzes (enzymatic assays to determine thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroxine). The chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis. Results. The first group consisted of 62 (38.7%) subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism and 18 (11.3%) with clinical hypothyroidism, 51 (63.7%) women and 29 (36.3%) men with a mean age of 52±6.9 years. The control group consisted of 42 (52.5%) women and 38 (47.5%) men, with a mean age of 51±4.3 years. Mild depression was verified in 50 (31.2%), moderately severe in 43 (26.9%), and severe depression in 3 (1.9%). The study found the existence of statistically significantly moderate-severe depression in participants with subclinical hypothyroidism (p<0.05). Conclusion. The results of our study indicate a statistically significantly presence of moderately severe depression in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Early detection and adequate therapeutic intervention of thyroid gland disorders in patients with depression. Our findings favor the need for early and routine screening for hypothyroidism and depression.

References

Kim JS, Zhang Y, Chang Y, Ryu S, Guallar E, Shin YC, et al. Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Incident Depression in Young and Middle-Age Adults. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):1827–33.

De Sousa A, Rupani K, Shah N. Autoimmune thyroid disorder and recurrent depression: Clinicians must be aware of the links. Thyroid Research and Practice. 2016;13(3):146.

Kvetny J, Ellervik C, Bech P. Is suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) associated with subclinical depression in the Danish General Suburban Population Study? Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. 2015;69(4):282–6.

MD DMN. Y. Depression in Hypothyroidism and Risk Factors. Journal of Medical Science And clinical Research. 2017;05(03):19478–84.

Samuels MH. Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Depression: Is There a Link? The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):2061–4.

Cohen BM, Sommer BR, Vuckovic A. Antidepressant-Resistant Depression in Patients With Comorbid Subclinical Hypothyroidism or High-Normal TSH Levels. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2018;175(7):598–604.

Zhao T, Chen BM, Zhao XM, Shan ZY. Subclinical hypothyroidism and depression: a meta-analysis. Translational Psychiatry. 8(1).

Loh HH, Lim LL, Yee A, Loh HS. Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2019;19(1).

Fjaellegaard K, Kvetny J, Allerup PN, Bech P, Ellervik C. Well-being and depression in individuals with subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity—A general population study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. 2015;69(1):73–8.

10.

Tang R, Wang J, Yang L, Ding X, Zhong Y, Pan J, et al. Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 10.

11.

Simić S, Šikanić N, Milovanović S. Depresivni poremećaj u svetlu supkliničke disfunkcije tiroidne žlezde. 2007;29(1–2):39–43.

12.

Mohammad MaryamYH, Bushulaybi N, AlHumam A, AlGhamdi A, Aldakhil H, Alumair N, et al. Prevalence of depression among hypothyroid patients attending the primary healthcare and endocrine clinics of King Fahad Hospital of the University (KFHU). Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2019;8(8):2708.

13.

Jackson-Koku G. Beck Depression Inventory. Occupational Medicine. 2016;66(2):174–5.

14.

Stanojević D, Jaredić B, Manić S. Depresivnost kod adolescenata na Kosovu i Metohiji. 2012;37(4):223–8.

15.

Talaei A, Rafee N, Rafei F, Chehrei A. TSH cut off point based on depression in hypothyroid patients. BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1).

16.

Hage MP, Azar ST. The Link between Thyroid Function and Depression. Journal of Thyroid Research. 2012;2012:1–8.

17.

Jandrić-Kočič M. Role of hypothyroidism in the onset of metabolic syndrome and hepatic steatosis. Medicinski glasnik Specijalne bolnice za bolesti štitaste žlezde i bolesti metabolizma. 2019;24(75):47–56.

18.

Araya AV, Massardo T, Fiedler J, Risco L, Quintana JC, Liberman C. Depressive Disorders and Thyroid Function. 2012;

19.

Puia G, Losi G. Thyroid hormones modulate GABAA receptor-mediated currents in hippocampal neurons. Neuropharmacology. 2011;60(7–8):1254–61.

Citation

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Article metrics

Google scholar: See link

The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.