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Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Loh HH 1 , Lim LL 2 , Yee A 3 , Loh HS 4

Affiliations 

  • 1 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS), Jalan Dato Muhammad Musa, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. hhloh@unimas.my
  • 2 Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Clinical Academic Unit, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, Gelang Patah, Malaysia
BMC Psychiatry, 2019 01 08;19(1):12.
PMID: 30621645 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-018-2006-2

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although depression is associated with changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, its relationship with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is controversial. To date, there is a lack of data on the improvement of depressive symptoms with levothyroxine therapy among individuals with coexistent SCH.

METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between SCH and depression including 1) the prevalence of depression in SCH (with a sub-analysis of the geriatric cohort), 2) thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level among patients with depression and 3) the effect of levothyroxine therapy among patients with SCH and coexistent depression.

RESULTS: In a pooled analysis of 12,315 individuals, those with SCH had higher risk of depression than euthyroid controls (relative risk 2.35, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.84 to 3.02; p 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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