Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is not associated with metabolic derangement, cognitive impairment, depression or poor quality of life (QoL) in elderly subjects.

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between SCH and metabolic and neuropsychiatric derangements in Korean elderly subjects. Nine hundred and eighteen euthyroid and SCH subjects aged 65 years and older were enrolled in the present study. We compared anthropometric (age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index=BMI, body fat contents=BF, waist circumference=WC and hip circumference=HC), laboratory (glucose and lipid profile, renal and liver functions, and C-reactive protein=CRP levels), and neuropsychiatric (neuropsychological function, mood, and QoL) parameters of SCH subjects with those of euthyroid subjects. Associated metabolic disorders of the subjects were also compared between the euthyroid and SCH groups. We could not observe any differences between the SCH group and the euthyroid group with regards to metabolic parameters as well as neuropsychiatric parameters. These findings may suggest that SCH does not appear to be associated with metabolic and neuropsychiatric derangement in elderly subjects. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.