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Study of the relationship of thyroid status and frailty in older Egyptian men

The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine volume 31, pages 884–895 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

This study was conducted in Endocrine and Diabetes Clinic (Cairo University) and National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinal Glands from 2016 to 2017.

Aim

To recognize the relationship between thyroid status and frailty in older Egyptian men, as distinguishing proof of contrasts in thyroid function as a hazard factor for frailty gives added chances to recognize men in danger of more unfortunate well-being results.

Methods

The study included 100 geriatric Egyptians men without overt thyroid disorder. All patients were subjected to medical history and physical measurement including assessment of frailty by using FRAIL scale (Fatigue, Résistance, Ambulation, Illnesses and Loss of weight, with frailty represented by the presence of three or more of these elements), free thyroxine level and thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Results

The average age of the patients was 67.34±3.42 years. of 100 men, four patients were classified as having overt hyperthyroidism, two patients having overt hypothyroidism (2.0%), 10 patients having subclinical hyperthyroidism (10%), one patient with subclinical hypothyroidism (1.0%), and 83 patients were euthyroid (83%), and 40 men were classified as being frail. The authors found a positive correlation of frailty with age (P<0.001).

Conclusion

There is a statistically significant association of frailty with smoking (P=0.014) and hypertension (P=0.003). There was no factually noteworthy relationship between frailty and thyroid-stimulating hormone, free T4, and free T3, and no measurably statistically significant difference between frailty and change in thyroid function (P=0.592).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 66 Gaamat Eldwal, Mohandseen, Giza, 12511, Egypt

    Maha H. El Din Ibrahim & Elham M. Yousief MD

  2. Department of Medical Biochemistry& Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt

    Mohamed M. Alsebaie

  3. National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinal Glands, General Authority for Hospitals and Medical Institutions, Ministry of Health, Egypt

    Haidy I. Elbendary

Authors
  1. Maha H. El Din Ibrahim
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  2. Mohamed M. Alsebaie
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  3. Haidy I. Elbendary
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  4. Elham M. Yousief MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elham M. Yousief MD.

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El Din Ibrahim, M.H., Alsebaie, M.M., Elbendary, H.I. et al. Study of the relationship of thyroid status and frailty in older Egyptian men. Egypt J Intern Med 31, 884–895 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_96_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_96_19

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