Thyroid testing in pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction in Tayside, Scotland: the thyroid epidemiology, audit and research study (TEARS). (25th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vadiveloo, Thenmalar; Mires, Gary J.; Donnan, Peter T.; Leese, Graham P.
• Is Part Of: Clinical endocrinology. Volume 78:Number 3(2013:Mar.)
• Page Start: 466
• Page End: 471
• Publication Date: 2013-01-25
• Subjects: Endocrinology -- Periodicals; 616.4005
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2012.04426.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-0664

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="cen4426-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To investigate the rate of thyroid testing during pregnancy.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Population‐based, retrospective record‐linkage study.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Health care data on pregnant women in Tayside, Scotland.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>All pregnant women who were 18 years and above and who delivered between 1 January 1993 and 31 March 2011 in Tayside were identified. Patients were included in the study if they have had at least three thyroxine prescriptions prior to pregnancy of which at least one prescription was within 6 months prior to pregnancy.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Number of thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) assays performed during pregnancy and the changes in dosage of thyroxine prescribed during pregnancy.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>We identified 950 pregnancies that had thyroxine prescribed prior to pregnancy. Overall, 96·9% (95% CI: 96–98) of these pregnancies had at least one TSH assay performed during or just prior to pregnancy, with 81·2% (95% CI: 79–84) in the first trimester. The prescription of thyroxine was increased in 60·0% (95% CI: 57–63) at any time during pregnancy and in 34·0% (95% CI: 31–37) of pregnancies during the first trimester. Overall, 60% (95% CI: 57–63) of pregnancies had at least one elevated serum TSH during pregnancy with 55% (95% CI: 51–58) in the first trimester.</p> </sec> <sec id="cen4426-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The TSH concentration is raised in many pregnancies in women taking long‐term thyroxine.</p> </sec> </abstract>