When it comes to thyroid function, we are not all the same
Let's advocate for personalized thyroid care tailored to different stages of life.
Did you know?
There is substantial evidence that normal thyroid status changes with age throughout the course of life. In the elderly, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations tend to rise, with the normal TSH distribution curve shifting to the right. Simultaneously, free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels decline with age.
Thyroid hormone reference intervals have differential effects across age groups
Older individuals with declining thyroid function may have survival advantages.
Younger/middle-aged individuals with low-normal thyroid function face cardiovascular/metabolic risks. Those with high-normal function experience adverse bone outcomes like osteoporosis/fractures.
Age-appropriate reference intervals are important!
Existing reference ranges might be inadvertently leading to inappropriate treatments in older individuals. This, in turn, could result in missed opportunities for risk factor modification in the younger and middle-aged demographic.
To read more: doi: 10.1186/s13044-023-00149-5