Thyroid stimulating hormone levels by age groups in the geriatric population

Aim: The elderly population is constantly increasing all over the world. Thyroid disorders are becoming more common among the elderly population as well as in the general population. Non-specific symptoms and signs of thyroid disorders in the elderly, accompanying non-thyroid illnesses and medications used make it difficult to diagnose. The emergence of age-specific reference ranges for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) due to the change in thyroid hormone physiology with aging also increases the difficulty of diagnosis. The relationship of TSH level in the elderly with many parameters such as cognitive functions, depression, cardiovascular events, mortality, frailty, osteoporosis has been investigated. However, studies investigating normal TSH levels by age groups are limited. The aim of our study is to determine the TSH levels of the patients evaluated in the geriatric outpatient clinics according to age ranges. Materials and Methods: Among the patients evaluated in the outpatient clinic of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Geriatrics, those with any thyroid disease diagnosis, levothyroxine (LT4) treatment, previous thyroid surgery and/or radioactive iodine treatment, use of medications that may affect thyroid functions and patients with acute disease states are excluded. TSH levels of the remaining patients were statistically evaluated. Results: Of the 212 patients included in the study, 59,4% were women. The mean age of the patients was 73. Patients were categorized into three subgroups according to age groups. 132 (62,3%) patients in the 65-74 age group, 59 (27,8%) in the 75-84 age group, and 21 (9,9%) patients in the 85 and over age group were evaluated. Patients aged 85 years and older had lower TSH levels compared to patients aged 65-74 years (p = 0.024). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between increasing age and TSH levels in general. Conclusions: In the population aged 65 and over, TSH level does not change with increasing age. However, the TSH level is lower in very old people, aged 85 years and older, compared to people in the 65-74 age group. Key Words: thyroid functions, geriatric patient