A LABORATORY AUDIT OF THYROID HORMONE REQUEST PATTERN IN A RURAL TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA

JIMOH AHMED KAYODE; GHAZAL SEGUN MURITALA; ADELEKE BABAJIDE ADEWOYIN

Volume : VII, Issue : XII, December - 2018

A LABORATORY AUDIT OF THYROID HORMONE REQUEST PATTERN IN A RURAL TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA

Jimoh Ahmed Kayode, Ghazal Segun Muritala, Adeleke Babajide Adewoyin

Abstract :

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid disorders are conditions associated with many vague clinical symptoms. Request for thyroid assessment may depend on the presence of symptoms and signs suggestive of thyroid disorders. For a reliable interpretation of laboratory result; certain information are requested about the management of the patient in the laboratory request form. This retrospective study looks at the pattern of request and relevant information made available for appropriate test interpretation for thyroid hormone.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: A five years retrospective study of the Thyroid hormone request pattern was done. 296 requests for thyroid hormones were extracted from the register. All the entries had the gender included; with 89.5% females and 10.5% males. 11.5% did not contain the clinical diagnosis of the patient. 5.7% did not indicate the age. TSH was analysed in 288 requests, fT4 in 277 and fT3 in 275. Goitre was the most common clinical diagnosis, 32.3%; hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis 13.1%; while hypothyroidism 2.7%. Non–specific symptoms of thyroid diseases were 13.1%. Gynaecological cases were 18.5%.

CONCLUSION: Information in laboratory request form provides guidelines for Pathologist to give reliable interpretation on subsequent mode of management of patient. Interpretative comments reduced the time taken and the number of tests required to reach a diagnosis and had an impact on the differential diagnosis