when to screen for hypothyroidism

Last reviewed 01/2018

Situations when screening for hypothyroidism is appropriate include:

• hypercholesterolaemia
• dementia/delerium
• hypothermia
• hyperprolactinaemia
• infertility
• obesity
• depression
• if on treatment with certain drugs e.g. amiodarone, lithium, interferons
• following irradiation of the neck
• postpartum thyroiditis
• autoimmune disease
• Down's syndrome and Turner's syndrome (1)
• syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• coeliac disease
• failure to thrive
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• small T waves on ECG

Reference:

• (1) Association for Clinical Biochemistry (ACB), British Thyroid Association (BTA), British Thyroid Foundation (BTF) 2006. UK guidelines for the use of thyroid function tests