Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The pandemic of central obesity has driven new interest in the relationship between thyroid hormone and body weight distribution since it is well known that thyroid hormones play a key role in regulating energy homeostasis and that subtle elevation in TSH as in subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH)is associated with deficiency in resting energy expenditure and increased body weight. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to assess possible associations of subclinical hypothyroidism with central obesity in apparently healthy women. METHODS: 133 apparently healthy, clinically euthyrotic women were included in this study; 91of them were centrally obese and 42 were centrally non obese, Thyroid function tests and waist circumference measurement were done in all participants. RESULTS: 13.5 %( n=18) of the studied population had subclinical hypothyroidism.In the centrally obese group the frequency was 17.5 %( n=16), while in the non obese it was 4.7% (n=2), the highest frequency was found in the 40-49 years old women (38.8%). Positive significant correlation was found between waist circumference and age, negative significant correlation was found between age and T3. CONCLUSION: The frequency of SCH is more in centrally obese women. Assessment of thyroid function must be regarded as part of the screening program in obese.