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Thyroid Function Screening in Psychiatric In-Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Michael W. P. Carney ,
Shirley Macleod  and
B. F. Sheffield
Michael W. P. Carney
Affiliation:
Northwick Park Hospital and Clinical Research Centre, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3UJ
Shirley Macleod
Affiliation:
Northwick Park Hospital
B. F. Sheffield
Affiliation:
University Hospital of South Manchester
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Summary

During a two-year biochemical screening for thyroid disease amongst 191 psychiatric admissions, 38 (20 per cent) had an abnormal result, 5 were hyperthyroid and 7 hypothyroid. Thyroid dysfunction was associated with female sex and affective psychosis, but not with age. During the three weeks before admission the patients with an abnormal result had been prescribed significantly more phenothiazines, antiparkinsonian drugs and lithium than the patients with normal thyroid function. Almost half of those with abnormal function were physically ill on admission. Despite these findings we concluded that in most patients thyroid dysfunction was not a major determinant of the psychiatric disturbance.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 138 , Issue 2 , February 1981 , pp. 154 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1981 

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