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Paul J. Drinka, MD
Wisconsin Veterans Home King, Wis University of Wisconsin Madison

Wolfram E. Nolten, MD
University of Wisconsin Madison

Susan K. Voeks, PhD; Elizabeth H. Langer, MS, RN
Wisconsin Veterans Home King, Wis

JAMA. 1987;258(19):2697-2698.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

In the study entitled "Thyroid Failure in the Elderly: Microsomal Antibodies as Discriminant for Therapy," Rosenthal et al¹ established criteria for initiating prophylactic thyroxine treatment for individuals with subclinical hypothyroidism. Individuals with subclinical hypothyroidism have thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) level elevation and normal serum thyroxine values. The criteria for prophylactic therapy were based on a four-year follow-up study of 26 such individuals from a healthy elderly population. Forty-six percent of these subjects subsequently developed hypothyroxinemia. At the beginning of the study, this subgroup whose thyroid status deteriorated had TSH levels of 20 mU/L (20 µU/mL) or greater and/or antimicrosomal antibody titers of 1:6400 or greater.

Study.—

We have screened thyroid function in our elderly residents at the Wisconsin Veterans Home, a skilled nursing facility. The home has a predominantly male population. Laboratory studies included determinations of the free thyroxine index and the serum TSH level (upper . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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