Subclinical Hypothyroidism - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Subclinical hypothyroidism

Subclinical hypothyroidism (latent) is the initial stage of the disease, characterized by damage to the functionality of the thyroid gland, but not having pronounced clinical symptoms. Thyroid disorders manifest as a significant increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with normal levels of free T3 and T4. According to statistics, subclinical hypothyroidism occurs in 20% of women over 50 years old.

Content:

• Causes of subclinical hypothyroidism
• Symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism
• Diagnosis of the disease
• Treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism

Causes of subclinical hypothyroidism

The causes of latent hypothyroidism are the same processes that contribute to the development of classic hypothyroidism:

• the development of autoimmune thyroiditis;
• abnormal development of organs during the prenatal period;
• insufficient amount of iodine in the human body;
• removed (completely or partially) thyroid gland (this happens according to indications - cancer of the gland);
• long-term use of drugs that depress the thyroid gland (amiodarone, drugs that treat heart problems);
• inflammatory processes localized in the organ (subacute inflammation of the gland, postpartum or painless);
• irradiation of the neck area (presence of malignant neoplasms);
• treatment of the gland with radioactive iodine.

Symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism

The course of subclinical hypothyroidism is not particularly pronounced, it can simply be overlooked or confused with a general malaise of the body:

• constant chills and a feeling of chilliness;
• hypothermia;
• lethargy, feeling of rapid fatigue, absent-mindedness, drowsiness;
• pronounced slowness;
• decreased appetite;
• galactorrhea;
• refusal and unwillingness to perform any work;
• decreased libido;
• tendency to depression and nervous breakdowns;
• decreased concentration of attention;

With the development of the disease, the symptoms become more pronounced:

• decrease in intellectual abilities;
• increase in body weight;
• memory impairment;
• increased intraocular pressure;
• violation of the menstrual cycle;
• vaginal bleeding;
• problems with potency;
• dryness, roughness and pronounced yellowness of the skin;
• heartburn, stomach pain;
• stool disorder: constipation, flatulence;
• infertility;
• miscarriage - premature birth, placental abruption;
• severe pain in the muscles;
• violation of urine excretion;
• hair loss, dryness and brittleness;
• puffy eyelids, puffy face;
• increased level of endothelial dysfunction;

• bradycardia;
• hypochromic anemia (decreased hemoglobin in erythrocytes).

Diagnosis of the disease

To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a certain number of studies:

• a blood test to determine the level of the thyroid hormone of the thyroid gland: normally this figure is 2.6-5.7 mmol / l, and the corresponding 9.0-22.0 mmol / l of triiodothyronine and thyroxine. It is impossible to make a correct diagnosis based only on the data of this analysis, since with subclinical hypothyroidism, the level of hormones decreases gradually.

• determination of the presence of antibodies to AT-TG (thyroglobulin) and AT-TPO (thyropercosidase). In a healthy person, these indicators are either absent, or their concentration is extremely low: 0-19 U / ml and 0-5.7 U / ml. A significant increase in these antibodies indicates the autoimmune nature of hypothyroidism.
• a blood test to determine the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of the pituitary gland: normally its concentration is 0.5 - 4.3 Honey / l. This is one of the most reliable indicators of the development of subclinical hypothyroidism - the pituitary gland is one of the most sensitive parts of the brain, which reacts to any changes in the human body. When the thyroid gland malfunctions, the TSH level rises sharply, since the production of hormones synthesized by this organ has sharply decreased.
• one of the obligatory methods of studying this pathology is scintigraphy, which is based on the use of radioactive isotopes. Using this procedure, you can assess the functionality of the thyroid gland, foci of pathological processes or changes in the vascular pattern. In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland is saturated with iodine much less, which is clearly seen during the study.

In blood tests, you can often find anemia, the cause of which is a complicated synthesis of hemoglobin, a deficiency of iron or vitamin B12.

A number of additional studies are also used to diagnose subclinical hypothyroidism:

• ultrasound examination (ultrasound) of the thyroid gland - is carried out to study the structure and size of the organ. Changes primarily depend on the cause of the development of the disease. For example, in Hashimoto's disease, the thyroid gland has a characteristic appearance - "moth-eaten places."
• An abdominal ultrasound is performed with pronounced symptoms, which may indicate the neglect of the disease.
• chest x-ray - allows you to assess the degree of development of the skeleton (suspicion of hypothyroidism in children) and the presence of fluid in advanced forms of pathology.
• electrocardiography - shows the frequency of a decrease in heart rate and a low voltage of fractures, which is also a significant sign of the development of a serious illness.

On the subject: Diet for a week with hypothyroidism

Treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism

Treatment of this pathology has no specific features, therefore, it is based on the use of drugs that regulate the level of thyroid hormones:

• hormone therapy includes drugs based on thyroid hormones. This treatment is prescribed and monitored strictly by an endocrinologist, after a complete and thorough examination of the patient.
• treatment of the initial cause of the development of pathology.
• special vitamins and minerals in the treatment of hypothyroidism must be taken every day to maintain the body and stabilize the level of immunity.
• normalization of the diet. In any case, with hypothyroidism, metabolism is significantly disrupted, therefore, in order to avoid complications, it is important to follow simple rules.

It is necessary to exclude:

• Soy products;
• Sugar;
• Reduce water consumption (up to 500 - 600 ml per day);
• Foods with polyunsaturated fats (fatty fish, vegetable and butter, avocado, peanuts).

An anti-hypothyroidism diet should include:

• More fresh fruit;
• Meat products (poultry, turkey, beef);
• Seafood (iodine is needed to restore the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which is found in large quantities in seafood);
• Light meat broths;
• Natural coffee (natural coffee contains B vitamins and magnesium).

Disease prognosis

The earlier the disease is detected, the faster the recovery period will come. Advanced forms of hypothyroidism can lead to coma, and more serious damage to many organs.

Prevention

To date, only those types of hypothyroidism that are associated with iodine deficiency can be prevented, and this is a rare pathology.

In order to avoid the intrauterine development of pathology, a pregnant woman must pass all of the above tests and, if necessary, start treatment on time.

The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist

Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).