A study of correlation of perceived stress and thyroid function among females in a rural population of reproductive age group
Background: Thyroid dysfunction may be associated with increased perceived stress. Aims: We aimed to study the correlation of perceived stress and thyroid function among females in a rural population of reproductive age group. Materials and Methods: This pilot study was conducted in Burdwan Medical...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2020;volume=13;issue=1;spage=30;epage=36;aulast=Chaudhuri |
| Summary: | Background: Thyroid dysfunction may be associated with increased perceived stress. Aims: We aimed to study the correlation of perceived stress and thyroid function among females in a rural population of reproductive age group. Materials and Methods: This pilot study was conducted in Burdwan Medical College on 200 newly diagnosed female hypothyroid patients in a period of 12 months after taking institutional ethical clearance and informed consent of the participants. Parameters studied were body mass index (BMI), Presumptive Stressful Life Event Stress Scale (PSLES) scores, Perceived Stress Scale scores (PSS scores), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (fT4) levels. To avoid stress effects of the premenstrual phase, we examined our participants during the postmenstrual phase. All the participants were on nonvegetarian diet and their dietary habits were nearly similar. Participants were divided into two groups: G1 – hypothyroid patients and G2 – patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. The computer software “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 (SPSS Inc., Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, version 16.0. SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA)” was used to analyze the data. Results: Two hundred newly diagnosed hypothyroid females were included in the present study. Among them, 130 were clinical hypothyroid (G1) and 70 were subclinical hypothyroid patients (G2). A significant difference was found between clinical and subclinical hypothyroid females for mean PSS scores (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference in PSLES scores between the two groups. A significant difference was found between clinical and subclinical hypothyroid females for BMI (P = 0.002), TSH (P < 0.0001), and fT4 (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in age between the two groups. There was a significant positive correlation between PSS scores and TSH levels with r value of 0.97 in G1 and r value of 0.26 in G2, respectively. Conclusion: Females of reproductive age group with clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism faced the same amount of stressful life events. However, their perception of stress was significantly different. High TSH was positively correlated with high score on PSS. Clinical hypothyroidism is associated with hypercortisolemia and also depression. However, a cause–effect relation is yet to be established. Moreover, depression and serum cortisol were not assessed, so no further conclusions can be drawn from the present study. |
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| ISSN: | 2589-8302 2589-8310 |