Study of Chronic Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety Among Hypothyroid Patients Attending Assuit University Hospitals

Study of Chronic Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety Among Hypothyroid Patients Attending Assuit University Hospitals

• Assessment of the prevalence of chronic fatigue, depression, and anxiety among patients with hypothyroidism in Assuit University Hospital.
• Assess the severity of chronic fatigue, depression, and anxiety according to the duration and control of treatment in patients with hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism is a prevalent endocrine illness with a global impact, necessitating treatment in extreme instances. Inadequate management of hypothyroidism has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including neurological and musculoskeletal issues,this condition impacting approximately 1-6% of the general population.

Thyroid hormone is essential for the normal development of many human tissues and regulates the metabolism of virtually all cells and organs of the human body throughout life. Overt hypothyroidism is defined by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels above the upper limit of the reference range, while levels of free thyroxine (fT4) are below the lower limit of the reference range. The reference range is typically statistically defined by the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of the measured circulating thyroid hormone values in populations defined as healthy.

It has been reported that up to one-third of patients presenting with fatigue have thyroid disease, predominantly in women,and fatigue was the most common noted symptom among patients with hypothyroidism.Also patients with thyroid disorders are more prone to developing depressive symptoms.

There are few previous studies that addressed this topic in the Egyptian population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism.
• Age from 18 to 60 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who were previously diagnosed with any psychiatric diseases.
• Serious and chronic diseases (e.g. anemia, liver, heart or kidney problems).
• consumption of medications that may interfere with thyroid function (e.g., chemotherapy), patients who had a history of any type of cancer, due to the confounding effects of cancer on fatigue as the outcome of interest.
• Women who were pregnant or had given birth in the last 6 months to exclude postpartum thyroiditis and depression.