Clinical Manifestations of Primary Hyperthyroidism in the Elderly Patients at the Out-Patient Clinic of Srinagarind Hospital
Panita Limpawattana MD*, Kittisak Sawanyawisuth MD*, Ajanee Mahakkanukrauha MD*, Chaiyasit Wongvipaporn MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital
The authors reviewed the outpatient charts diagnosed as hyperthyroidism at Srinagarind Hospital from June 1998-June 2004. The objective was to compare the clinical features of hyperthyroidism in patients older and younger than 60 years old. There were 922 cases enrolled; 84 cases (9.11%) were 60 years old and above. The female: male ratio was 3.4:1 and 4:1 and the mean ages were 64.2 + 3.7 and 37.4 + 11.2 years old in the elder and younger group, respectively. The common presentations were dyspnea (94.1, 96.5%), weight loss (93.8, 87.9%) and palpitation (83.3, 93.1%) in the elder and younger, respectively. The more significant clinical presentations in the elder group were atrial fibrillation, weakness and anorexia whereas exophthal- mos, goiter, heat intolerance and hyperhidrosis were not as frequent. Thus, the classic presentations often lacked in the elder group. Therefore, unexplained AF, weakness and anorexia should not exclude hyperthy- roidism even with paucity of typical clinical features.
Keywords : Hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, Older patients, Thailand
