[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 6:20 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148601

It is great to see more articles about thyroid and testing, but I take a bit of an exception to the following:

“Conversely, the experts recommend that “screening in women younger than 50
years of age and in men is not warranted because the prevalence of overt
thyroid dysfunction is low.”

I think screening should be part of a routine check-up. I know several women
my age and younger who are hypothyroid and on thyroid replacement. They were
diagnosed on a routine check-up (doctors around here seem to be good about things
like that, tho it maybe because there seems to be a prevalance of hypothyroid
in our area).

Jean C

[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 6:39 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148602

Just a note concerning routine screening: My children’s Pediatrician noted
in both my daughter’s and son’s files to watch for signs of, and later in life
screen for, thyroid problems based on my Graves. PS…I have a terrific
Pediatrician!

[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 6:51 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148603

LOL! I guess I should read the board before posting, but found this of great interest! Sorry folks!

JAN

[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 7:28 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148604

I am of the oppinion that a thyroid test szould be done routenely, at any age, I am only 32, soooo , age has not much to do with it in my case.
I think that they should run thyroid even on pregnant women, thought I think they did on my about 2 1/2 yr ago before i had the baby, they ran bunches of test but that was only because i was loosing weight even though i was pg, guess back at the time thyroid was ok/
PAULA

[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 8:12 pm Post count: 93172]

#1050153

Thyroid screening urged for older women
Wednesday, July 15, 1998

NEW YORK, Jul 15 (Reuters) — Women over 50 years of age should be
screened once every 5 years for thyroid disorders, according to new guidelines
from the American College of Physicians (ACP).

“Screening can detect symptomatic but unsuspected overt thyroid
dysfunction,” conclude researchers Dr. Mark Helfand of the Portland Veterans
Affairs Medical Center, in Portland, Oregon, and Dr. Craig Redfern of the PACE
Center, also located in Portland.

The ACP guidelines, formulated on the basis of a review of the literature
conducted by Helfand and Redfern, are published in the July 15th issue of the
Annals of Internal Medicine.

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped organ lying at the front of the throat, produces
thyroid hormone, which helps regulate to the body’s metabolism. Too much
thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) can result in agitation, palpitations and
weight loss. Too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) can result in
sluggishness, dry skin, hair loss and weight gain.

A simple blood test measuring the levels of a pituitary hormone that helps
regulate the thyroid, called TSH, can usually indicate thyroid dysfunction. This
test can be followed up with a blood test measuring levels of thyroxine, a
hormone secreted by the thyroid gland itself.

While overt hyper- or hypothyroidism are easily diagnosed by physicians, the
illness can be less apparent in its early or ”subclinical” stages.

Helfand and Redfern surveyed the results of dozens of recent studies to
ascertain the benefits of thyroid screening. Screening involves a simple blood
test measuring levels of TSH.

Following their review of 55 different studies, the authors found that about 1 in
every 71 women over the age of 60 years tests positive for either “overt
hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.” Therefore, they conclude that “it is
reasonable to screen women older than 50 years of age for unsuspected but
symptomatic thyroid disease.” Given the slow progression of thyroid disease,
they say that screening need only be repeated once every 5 years.

Conversely, the experts recommend that “screening in women younger than 50
years of age and in men is not warranted because the prevalence of overt
thyroid dysfunction is low.” SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine
1998;129:141-143, 144-158.

[Anonymous July 16, 1998 at 11:40 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148605

Hmmmmm! As I was scanning this post I was thinking, well that is a step in the right direction…until I got to the last paragraph, specifically the part that states, “the experts recommend that “screening in women younger than 50 years of age and in men is not warranted.”

Seems to me that pretty much contradicts everything I’ve read about the onset of Graves’ and thyroid disease typically happening between ages 20-40! Oh, gee. Wait a minute! maybe this sentence explains it:
“While overt hyper- or hypothyroidism are easily diagnosed by physicians.” No! That can’t be because that contradicts what I’ve read and heard and experienced about the extent to which people with thyroid disorders are misdiagnosed!

I think this article is making the fur on my neck get ruffled!

Cindy

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