Screening for thyroid disease
Helfand M
Record ID 32004000195
English
Authors' objectives:
This review focuses on whether it is useful to order a thyroid function test in patients who have no history of thyroid disease and have few or no signs or symptoms of thyroid dysfunction.
Authors' results and conclusions:
The prevalence of unsuspected thyroid disease is lowest in men and highest in older women. Evidence regarding the efficacy of treatment in patients found by screening to have subclinical thyroid dysfunction is inconclusive. Several small, randomized trials of treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism have been done, but the results are inconclusive except in patients who have a history of treatment for Graves' disease, a subgroup that is not a target of screening in the general population. No trials of treatment for subclinical hyperthyroidism have been done. Data on the adverse effects of broader use of levothyroxine is sparse.
Authors' recommendations:
Large randomized trials of treatment are needed to determine the likelihood that treatment will improve quality of life in otherwise healthy patients who have abnormal TSH levels and normal thyroxine (T4) levels.
Authors' methods:
Systematic review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsthyr.htm
Year Published:
2004
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
United States
MeSH Terms
- Mass Screening
- Thyroid Diseases
- Thyroid Function Tests
Contact
Organisation Name:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Contact Address:
Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;
Contact Name:
martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Contact Email:
martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Copyright:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.