Demographic data of thyroiditis from a south Indian city

BACKGROUND: Thyroiditis involves thyroid gland inflammation due to a wide variety of causes. The common varieties are subacute, silent and postpartum thyroiditis. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively collect demographic data of thyroiditis from Bangalore over the past 5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from three major nuclear medicine centers in Bangalore of the patients who came for technetium (Tc) 99m pertechnetate scan of the thyroid. The diagnosis was based on the Tc 99 scan evidence of thyroiditis in these patients and biochemical evidence of thyrotoxicosis. RESULTS: The total number of cases recorded were 2513. The females were more commonly affected compared with males with sex distribution of 1698 females and 815 females (2:1). The mean age of females was 32.5 ± 11.3 years whereas the mean age of males was 37.2 ± 12.4 years. The highest numbers of cases were recorded in the months of June and August. CONCLUSIONS: The females developed thyroiditis frequently and at an earlier age when compared with males. This data could give us an insight into the demographic pattern of thyroiditis in our country and may help in planning future preventive strategies.