Thyroid Function and Prevalence of Anti-Thyroperoxidase Antibodies in a Population with Borderline Sufficient Iodine Intake: Influences of Age and Sex
Open accessAbstract
Background: We present a large European population-based study of thyroid function, performed in a population with longstanding borderline sufficient iodine intake. Methods: The Nijmegen Biomedical Study is a population-based survey conducted in the eastern part of The Netherlands. Randomly selected inhabitants received a postal questionnaire on lifestyle and medical history, which was filled out by 9371 individuals (41.7%). We measured serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) in 6434 responders. A reference population of 5167 individuals was selected by excluding those at risk for thyroid disease. Results: Overt thyrotoxicosis was found in 0.4% of the total population and subclinical thyrotoxicosis in 0.8%. Overt hypothyroidism was found in 0.4% and subclinical hypothyroidism in 4.0%. In individuals older than 60 years, mean FT4 concentrations increased with age. Mean TSH decreased with age, from 1.46 mIU/L at 18–24 years to 1.07 mIU/L after 85 years. The mean TSH in the total population did not differ from the mean TSH in the reference population; the exclusion of those at risk for thyroid disease, however, lowered the upper limit of the TSH reference interval considerably. In the total population, 8.6% of males and 18.5% of females had positive TPOAbs. The presence of TPOAbs was associated with abnormally high and low TSH concentrations. Conclusion: In inhabitants of the eastern part of The Netherlands, serum TSH gradually decreases with age, whereas after age 60, serum FT4 increases, possibly because of the development of thyroid autonomy after longstanding borderline sufficient iodine intake.
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Studies in populations with iodine deficiency have failed to show an increase in TSH.
“Studies in populations with iodine deficiency have failed to show an increase in TSH [91, 93–95].”
From Age-related variation in thyroid function – a narrative review highlighting important implications for research and clinical practice (2023) · cites this paper as [94]
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References 35 · Cited by 255
- Authors
- Hoogendoorn, E. H., Hermus, A. R., de Vegt, F., Ross, H. A., Verbeek, A. L., Kiemeney, L. A., Swinkels, D. W., Sweep, F. C., & den Heijer, M.
- Affiliations
- Radboud University Medical Center (NL)
- Departments of Endocrinology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Chemical Endocrinology, and Clinical Chemistry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author
- Hoogendoorn, Elizabeth H
- Venue
- Clinical Chemistry
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2006-01-01
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 104-111
- ISSN
- 0009-9147 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-8561
- OpenAlex
- W2144980336
- Cited by
- 255
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 5.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- Clinical Chemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
- Keywords
- thyroid function, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, subclinical thyrotoxicosis, thyroid autonomy, age differences, sex differences, TSH reference intervals
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Autoantibodies, Female, Humans, Hypothyroidism, Iodide Peroxidase, Iodine, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reference Values, Sex Factors, Thyroid Diseases, Thyroid Function Tests, Thyroid Gland, Thyrotoxicosis, Thyrotropin, Thyroxine
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