RESUMO
To determine the clinical profile of hypothroidism at King Abdulaziz University Hospital [KAUH] and to report on any differences between males and female, medical reports of patients diagnosed as hypothyroidism > 18 years at KAUH in the period between January 1997 to December 1999 were studied. The following data were collected, age, sex, symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism, cause, presence of hyperlipidemia before treatment, results of hormonal investigations and thyroid antibodies, does of thyroxin replacement. A total of 306 were studied. 273 [79%] were females with M:F ratio 1:8. Spontaneous primary hypothyroidism was found in 247 [90%] females and post surgery was a cause in 5 [15%] males versus 9 [3%] females [P-value 0.001,0.02,0.03 respectively]. Constipation, depression and weight gain was found more in females, 36% versus 18%, 8% in females only, 31% versus 18% respectively [P-value 0.003,0.001,0.04]. Our study showed that primary spontaneous hypothroidism is the commonest cause of hypothyroidism in females while post ablation hypothyroidism is more common in males. Depression, constipation and weight gain were the presenting symptoms more common in females compared to males