Thyroid dysfunction in eastern Nepal

Abstract

Nepal lies in an area of endemic iodine deficiency. Thyroid dysfunction, along with a higher than average prevalence of goiter, is a major public health problem among the local population. The present study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among the hill and terai (low land) castes of eastern Nepal that attended the thyroid clinic at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan. A total of 599 cases were studied during a single year. The distribution of hyperthyroid and hypothyroidism was 13.68% and 17.19% respectively. The majority of the thyroid dysfunction was seen in the 21-40 year age group. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was slightly higher among terai castes (17.66%) when compared with hill castes (15.17%). There was a similar distribution of thyroid dysfunction among the male and female populations of the goitrous subjects (n=157), most were euthyroid (58.59%); hyperthyroidism affected (27.38%). Since, it was a hospital-based study, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction may not be applicable to the general population. Extensive field-based countrywide epidemiological studies are necessary to provide data about thyroid dysfunction in the community.