[TSH-reference range of adults: results from the population-based study KORA F4]
K Burkhardt1, T Ittermann2, M Heier1
1KORA-Herzinfarktregister, Klinikum Augsburg.
Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
|February 6, 2014
Summary
A new reference range for Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in South German adults was established. This TSH range is higher than previous studies, highlighting the need for regional and equipment-specific reference values.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Clinical Chemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Establishing a nationwide Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) reference value for German adults is challenging due to variations in iodine intake and laboratory equipment.
- Previous regional TSH reference values exist, but a specific value for South Germany was needed.
- This study aimed to define a TSH reference value for South Germany and compare it with other population-based studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine a TSH reference range for a healthy South German adult population.
- To compare the derived TSH reference range with findings from other German population-based studies.
- To assess the influence of age and sex on TSH levels in the studied population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 3080 participants of the KORA-F4 study (age 32-81 years).
- Excluded individuals with known or undiagnosed thyroid disorders, leaving 710 healthy participants for analysis.
- Evaluated thyroid characteristics including anamnesis, sonography, and clinical chemistry, specifically TSH, fT3, and fT4 levels.
Main Results:
- Established a TSH reference range of 0.52-3.60 mIU/l for thyroid-healthy South German men and women using Siemens Vista Analyzers, with a median of 1.49 mIU/l.
- No statistically significant influence of age or sex on TSH levels was observed.
- Median urinary iodine excretion was 118.6 µg/g creatinine, exceeding the recommended target value.
Conclusions:
- The TSH reference range for the South German population is higher than that reported in the Northeast-German SHIP-study.
- Population-based and apparatus-specific examinations are crucial for defining accurate TSH reference values.
- Regional differences in iodine supply and laboratory methods necessitate context-specific TSH reference ranges.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
248
Bioavailability studies are essential for evaluating a drug's therapeutic efficacy and understanding its absorption patterns under various physiological conditions. Conducting such studies on target patient populations provides more relevant data by simulating real-world disease states. However, practical challenges often necessitate the use of young, healthy adult volunteers as study subjects.Patients may exhibit altered drug absorption patterns due to the effects of the disease itself,...
248
02:20Longitudinal Research
11.7K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
11.7K
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
6.3K
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.3K