Frequency of Subclinical Hypothyroidism (SCH) among Patients of Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) Presenting in Outpatient Department of Tertiary Care Hospital

Subclinical hypothyroidism is a prevalent endocrine disorder, often associated with polycystic ovarian disease both of which share a complex interplay of hormonal imbalances, contributing to significant metabolic and reproductive disturbances. Objectives: To determine the frequency of subclinical hypothyroidism among patients of polycystic ovarian disease presenting in an outpatient setting. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, from December 2022 to June 2023. 155 female having polycystic ovaries were enrolled using non-probability consecutive sampling. Blood samples of the patients were sent to the pathology lab for measurement of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level and frequency of subclinical hypothyroidism (thyroid-stimulating hormone>5mIU/L despite normal serum free thyroxin (0.8 to 1.8 ng/dL) was noted. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: In the current study mean age and BMI of participants having polycystic ovarian disease were calculated as 28.31 ± 7.7 years and 29.5 ± 5.8 kg/m2, respectively. Among 155 participants 43.2% were married and most of them belonged to the urban population and middle socioeconomic class. Subclinical hypothyroidism was found in 14.8% of female suffering from polycystic ovarian disease. Conclusions: It was concluded that this study underscores the high prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism among patients with polycystic ovarian disease, highlighting the need for routine thyroid function screening in this population. Early detection enables timely interventions and supports a comprehensive approach to managing polycystic ovarian disease and its related comorbidities.