Fra Broda o Barnes



Indicidence of symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism*

Symptoms Study A of 77 cases Study B of 100 cases
Weakness 99 % 98 %
Dry skin 97 % 79 %
Coarse skin 97 % 70 %
Lethargy 91 % 85 %
Slow speech 91 % 56 %
Edema (swelling) of eyelids 90 % 86 %
Sensations of cold 89 % 95 %
Decreased sweating 89 % 68 %
Cold skin 83 % 80 %
Thick tongue 82 % 60 %
Edema of face 79 % 95 %
Coarseness of hair 76 % 75 %
Heart enlargement 68 % - **
Pallor of skin 67 % 50 %
Impaired memory 66 % 65 %
Constipation 61 % 54 %
Gain in weight 59 % 76 %
Loss of hair 57 % 41 %
Pallor of lips 57 % 50 %
Labored or difficult breathing 55 % 72 %
Swelling of feet 55 % 57 %
Hoarseness 52 % 74 %
Loss of apetite 45 % 40 %
Nervousness 35 % 51 %
Excessive menstruation 32 % 33 %
Deafness 30 % 40 %
Palpitations 31 % 23 %
Poor heart sounds 30 % -
Pain over the heart 25 % 16 %
Poor vision 24 % -
Changes in back of the eye 20 % -
Painful menstruation 18 % -
Loss of weight 13 % 9 %
Emotional instability 11 % -
Choking sensation 9 % -
Fineness og hair 9 % -
Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin) 9 % -
Difficulty in swallowing 3 % -
Brittle nails - 41 %
Depression - 60 %
Muscle weakness - 61 %
Muscle pain - 36 %
Joint pain - 29 %
Burning or tingling sensations - 56 %
Slowing of mental activity - 49 %
Slow movements - 73 %

* From J. H. Means, L. J. DeGroot and J. B. Stanbury The thyroid and its diseases, Mcgraw-Hill 1963
** Dash means not reported found


Videre sier han:The list shows not only great variation in incidence of various symptoms and signs but also that hypothyoridism is capable of producing some seemingly paradoxical effects. for example, it may lead to coarseness of the hair in some cases, fineness in the hair in others; to cold sensations in most cases but to heat intolerance in a few;to gain weight in some casesand to loss in others.

In a very mild hypothyroid patient, any one, or several, or evenmany of the symptoms listed may be present and yet may be so subtle that the patient is not particulary aware of them