Is it justifiable to include Thyroid Function Tests as routine assessment of patients admitted in surgery ward of tertiary care hospital and medical college dealing mainly rural population?

Dr Puneet Agrawal; Dr Sareena Agarwal

Volume : VII, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

Is it justifiable to include Thyroid Function Tests as routine assessment of patients admitted in surgery ward of tertiary care hospital and medical college dealing mainly rural population?

Dr Puneet Agrawal, Dr Sareena Agarwal

Abstract :

Thyroid disorders are very common in general population in India as well as worldwide. Nearly one third of world’s population lives in areas of Iodine deficiency. As there are no Indian guidelines for screening of hypothyroidism we undertake this study to determine the thyroid disorders in Indian rural population. All patients admitted in surgical ward were screened for thyroid function tests. A large number of persons in general population are suffering from thyroid disorders and also from subclinical hypothyroidism.

Subclinical hypothyroidism presents mainly in the agoitrous form and is associated with significant co–morbidity in form of lethargy, fatigue and weight gain which is mostly undiagnosed or neglected in perimenopausal population .

We conclude that it is now must to investigate the patient for thyroid disorders before undertaking patient for any elective or emergency surgery.