Abstract :
Introduction: Depression a common psychiatric disorder, is characterized by symptoms similar to that
seen in thyroid abnormality. The significance of the association between thyroid functioning and primary
psychiatric disorders is much less clear. Even subtle decrease in thyroid hormone might be expected to
produce depressive symptoms directly. The purpose of this study is to find the functional correlation
between thyroid profile and newly diagnosed depressed subjects, in comparison with controls.
Materials and Methods: A case control study was carried out on 30 newly diagnosed Depressed subjects
based on International Classification of Diseases(ICD-10) Diagnostic Criteria for Research(DCR) and
Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression in the age group of 18 to 60 years and 30 voluntary age and gender
matched healthy controls at tertiary hospital, Bangalore. Serum T3, T4, TSH was measured by Enhanced
Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA).
Results: Serum TSH was elevated and T3 T4 was lower in Depressed subjects compared to controls but was
not statistically significant. There was a significant positive correlation between TSH and severe depression
in subjects. Significant positive correlation was found between T3,T4 and TSH, showing inverse relation
of T3,T4 with TSH. Our study also revealed that patients with MDD had increased risk of hypothyroidism.
Conclusion: The study consisted of a limited number of newly diagnosed depressed subjects. Larger
scale studies are required in this area to replicate the findings so that Thyroid Function Tests(TFTs) can be
considered as an integral part of evaluation of newly depressed subjects.
Keyword :
T3, T4, TSH, Depression.