Hypothyroidism: its incidence and prevalence in adults older than 55 years of age in an acute rehabilitation unit.

Abstract

To investigate the incidence and prevalence of hypothyroidism in the acute rehabilitation unit. Retrospective chart review. Inpatient rehabilitation unit. Thirty-five men and 91 women older than the age of 55 years (average, 74 years) separated into postsurgical (PS) and nonsurgical (NS) groups. Twenty-two men and 76 women were PS, 21 of whom had a history of hypothyroidism. Thirteen men and 15 women were NS, and 4 in this group had a history of hypothyroidism. Levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine. There were 34 cases of hypothyroidism, a prevalence rate of 27%. The incidence of newly diagnosed cases was 9% (9 of 101). Six of the newly diagnosed cases were PS patients and three were NS patients. Eleven cases of undertreated hypothyroidism were found, in 9 PS patients and 2 NS patients. The rate of undertreated hypothyroidism in the PS population was 43% (9 of 21); in the nonsurgical population, it was 50% (2 of 4). The overall rate of undertreated hypothyroidism for both PS and NS groups was 44% (11 of 25). There is a high prevalence of hypothyroidism on an inpatient rehabilitation unit and a high rate of undertreated hypothyroidism in PS patients. Screening high-risk patients is recommended.