Study Advocates Demographic-Specific Guidelines for Thyroid Disease Diagnosis
New research highlights how age-, sex-, and race-specific reference intervals reclassify many subclinical thyroid disease cases as normal, prompting calls for updated clinical standards.
Overview
- A multinational study analyzed data from U.S. NHANES and a Chinese hospital database, identifying demographic variability in thyroid function markers.
- Findings revealed that TSH levels increase with age, TT3 levels decline, and TT4 levels remain stable, with notable differences across sex and racial groups.
- Nearly half of subclinical hypothyroidism and about a third of subclinical hyperthyroidism cases were reclassified as normal using tailored reference intervals.
- The study demonstrated consistent results across diverse populations, validating its findings in both U.S. and Chinese cohorts.
- Researchers and clinicians are urging the development of consensus guidelines to integrate demographic-specific thresholds and reduce overdiagnosis.