GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH) LEVELS AMONG PEOPLE LIVING IN SOUTH OF HEBRON, PALESTINE

Abstract

Introduction: Thyroid disease is a major health issue in the United States. Approximately 20 million Americans have been diagnosed or are being treated for thyroid disease. Abnormal thyroid function has important public health consequences. Suppressed thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels have been associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, premature atrial beats, and stroke, and all cause mortality. Furthermore, almost one-third of the world’s population lives in areas of iodine deficiency, so iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. Methods: The research design was a retrospective study, 2015 and 2016 carried out among patients at Al Israa Medical Center, Dura city, West Bank, Palestine.A total of 540 patients was selected by using Convenience (purposive) sampling, which is a non-probability sampling method. Results: A total of 540 patients screened for Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels were enrolled. Out of the total 540 patients, there were 71 men (13.1 %) and 469 women (86.9 %), there were 537 adulthood (99.4%) and 3 adolescents (0.6%). Most of patients have normal level of TSH 467 (86.5%), there were 28 (5.2%) have hypothyroidism and 45(8.3%) have hyperthyroidism. Conclusion: This study gives new information about prevalence of TSH level among patients presented in Al Israa medical Center in Palestine and gives some factors that contributed to decrease and increase the TSH level among patients.