Prevalence of Thyroid Defects in Diyala, Iraq.

Thyroid disorders are associated with the abnormalities occur in thyroid hormone concentration and imbalance in their regulation may causes life threatening diseases. Thus, the present study was planned to establish the prevalence of thyroid defects in Diyala, Iraq due to paucity of information is available in our region. Total 67 subjects in the age range of 20-80 years were recruited in Al - Shafa hospital, Diyala, Iraq, suffering from thyroid disorders or suspected with the symptoms favoring thyroid diseases. Thyroid function test and physical examination were performed. Those who were found alteration in thyroid hormones and presence of nodules, further investigation like FNAC of neck was performed for the diagnosis. Once confirmation of thyroid defect, total thyroidectomy was performed as a first line of treatment and malignancy was confirmed using histopathology analysis. The incidence of thyroid diseases in female (86.57%) was found to be more than male (13.43%) and there ratio was 19.3:3. The thyroid defects incident rate was highest in mean 49 years age. Almost 61.2% patients were found affected by thyroid disorders in this age group. The largest number of patients (64.18%) had shown MNG, then other thyroid defects out of which 4 female patients presented very big thyroid multinodular goiter (MNG). Among 43 MNG patients, 86% patients were female and 4% were male. Of the 67 cytologically diagnosed cases, 79.10% cases were found benign cases which are highest among all other types, out of which 91% cases were female. Among the thyroid disorder burden of thyroid carcinoma is very high and common in the enrolled patients in Diyala, further longitudinal studies are required to explore the prognosis and causes of these thyroid defects in the Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]