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A Study of Thyroid Function in Psychiatric In-patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

D. G. McLarty ,
W. A. Ratcliffe ,
J. G. Ratcliffe ,
J. G. Shimmins  and
A. Goldberg
D. G. McLarty
Affiliation:
Department of Materia Medica, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
W. A. Ratcliffe
Affiliation:
Radioimmunoassay Unit, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
J. G. Ratcliffe
Affiliation:
Radioimmunoassay Unit, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
J. G. Shimmins
Affiliation:
Computer Applications Unit, Greater Glasgow Health Board
A. Goldberg
Affiliation:
Department of Materia Medica, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
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Summary

The prevalence of abnormal serum total thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were determined in 1,206 in-patients in two associated psychiatric hospitals. The biochemical pattern of primary hypothyroidism occurred in five females and one male (prevalence 0.5 per cent), but in only one patient was the diagnosis clinically obvious. Eight patients (all female) were clinically hyperthyroid (prevalence 0.7 per cent), of whom six were previously undiagnosed. There was no evidence that phenothiazines or benzodiazepine therapy had any significant effect on thyroid hormone levels. The small differences in thyroid hormone levels between psychiatric diagnostic groups could be explained by differences in age distribution.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 133 , Issue 3 , September 1978 , pp. 211 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1978 

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