Evaluating the Prevalence and Patterns of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most common endocrine disorders worldwide, second only to diabetes mellitus. Its prevalence varies across populations due to differences in genetics, age, sex, environmental factors, and iodine intake. Despite increasing awareness, thyroid dysfunction remains underdiagnosed, particularly in developing countries. Aim and Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and patterns of thyroid dysfunction among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in North India. Material and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted over one year and included 1,200 subjects. Serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) were measured using the Cobas e411 immunoassay analyzer. Subjects were categorized as euthyroid, overt hypothyroid, subclinical hypothyroid, overt hyperthyroid, or subclinical hyperthyroid based on biochemical criteria. Data were analyzed for gender- and age-specific distribution. Results: Of the 1,200 participants, 852 (71%) were female and 348 (29%) male (female-to-male ratio: 2.45:1). The majority of patients were aged 20–29 years (23.9%). Overall, 810 (67.5%) subjects were euthyroid, while 390 (32.5%) had thyroid dysfunction (TDF). Among these, subclinical hypothyroidism was the most common disorder (10.7%), followed by overt hyperthyroidism (8.7%), subclinical hyperthyroidism (7.5%), and overt hypothyroidism (5.6%). Thyroid dysfunction was more prevalent among females (64%) compared to males (36%). The highest prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was observed in individuals above 70 years (64.2%). Conclusion: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in this North Indian cohort was 32.5%, with a clear female predominance and a rising trend with advancing age. Subclinical hypothyroidism emerged as the most frequent thyroid disorder. These findings highlight the importance of routine thyroid function screening, especially in women and older adults, for early diagnosis and management to prevent long-term complications.