ABSTRACT
Introduction: Thyroid disorders are common in the general population. Numerous studies show significant association between these disorders, particularly hypothyroidism, and mood disorders. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities in patients with mood disorders hospitalized in a university hospital, and to observe any differences in these abnormalities between different groups of patients with affective disorder. Method: We analyzed 238 files of inpatients in our hospital, discharged during 2007 with the diagnosis of mood disorder. Demographic data, discharge diagnoses and thyroid hormones levels were obtained from these files. The mentioned variables were correlated and statistical analysis was performed with the Chi-square test. Results: 60.5 percen of patients had major depression and 39.5 percent were bipolar. Thyroid disorders were observed in 39.9 percent of discharges. Thyroid profiles of depressive and bipolar patients showed no significant differences. Mixed (14.7 percent) and depressive episodes (21.4 percent ) showed higher frequency of hypothyroidism. Patients with type II bipolar disorder had higher frequency of subclinical hypothyroidism in relation to type I bipolar patients Conclusions: The demographic and epidemiological results found in this study largely agree with those described in the literature. The similarity in the thyroid profiles of bipolar and depressive patients may reflect that abnormalities in the axis hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid are a common factor for both disorders. However, within the group of bipolar patients hypothyroidism would have more relation with the depressive pole of the disease.
Introducción: Las alteraciones tiroideas son frecuentes en la población general. Diversos estudios muestran una asociación importante entre estas alteraciones, especialmente hipotiroidismo, y los trastornos anímicos. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la prevalencia de alteraciones tiroideas en pacientes con trastornos del ánimo hospitalizados en una clínica universitaria, y observar eventuales diferencias en estas alteraciones entre distintos grupos de pacientes con patología afectiva. Método: Se analizaron fichas de 238 pacientes hospitalizados en nuestro centro, egresados durante el año 2007 con el diagnóstico de trastorno del ánimo. De éstas se obtuvieron datos demográficos, diagnóstico de egreso y niveles de hormonas tiroideas.Se relacionaron las variables anteriores y se realizó el análisis estadístico con la prueba de Chi cuadrado. Resultados: Un 60,5 por ciento de los pacientes presentan depresión mayor y un 39,5 por ciento bipolaridad. Existen alteraciones tiroideas en el 39,9 por ciento de los egresos. Los perfiles tiroideos de pacientes depresivos y bipolares no mostraron diferencias significativas. Se observó mayor frecuencia de hipotiroidismo en episodios mixtos (14,7 por ciento) y depresivos (21,4 por ciento). Los pacientes con trastorno bipolar tipo II presentaron mayor frecuencia de hipotiroidismo subclínico que los pacientes bipolares tipo I. Conclusiones: Los resultados demográficos y epidemiológicos encontrados en este estudio concuerdan en su mayoría con lo descrito en la literatura. La similitud entre los perfiles tiroideos de pacientes depresivos y bipolares podría reflejar que alteraciones del eje hipotálamo-hipófisis-tiroides podrían ser un factor común para ambas patologías. Sin embargo, dentro del grupo de pacientes bipolares el hipotiroidismo se relacionaría más con el polo depresivo de la enfermedad.
Subject(s)
Adult , Affect , Depression , Thyroid Hormones , Inpatients , Bipolar Disorder , Mood DisordersABSTRACT
The role of advanced maternal age as a risk factor for congenital malformations in offspring is known. However, the influence of paternal age is not clear. Aim: To evaluate the association between advanced paternal age and the risk for congenital malformations. Patients and Methods: Analysis of maternal and paternal age of cases (malformed newborns) and controls from ECLAMC Database (Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations) registered at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital during the decade from Jan 1 1997 to Dec 31 2006. Newborns and stillborns were grouped according to maternal age into 6 intervals. In each interval, paternal ages of cases and controls were compared. The inverse procedure was performed to assess maternal age effect. Other variables as gestational age and birth weight were analyzed for the intervals of maternal and paternal ages. Results: No significant differences were observed in paternal age between cases and controls in any of the intervals of maternal age. However, mean maternal age was higher for cases than for controls (p =0,0149). Gestational age and birth weight depend more on being case or control than on the age of parents. Conclusions: No differences in paternal age were observed between cases and controls in this series of newborns.