ARE AUTOIMMUNE THYROID-DYSFUNCTION AND DEPRESSION RELATED

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between au toimmune thyroid disease and depression in perimenopausal women. Thyro id function [TSH, free T-4, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) ] and depression (using the Edinburgh Depression Scale) were assessed cross-sectionally together with other determinants of depression. The subjects were 583 randomly selected perimenopausal women (aged 47-54 y r) from a community cohort of 6846 women. The main outcome measures we re the occurrence of thyroid dysfunction (abnormal free T-4 and/or TSH or elevated levels of TPO-Ab) and the concomitant presence of depress ion according to the Edinburgh Depression Scale. Neither biochemical t hyroid dysfunction nor menopausal status was related to depression. Ap art from several psyche-social determinants (the occurrence of a major life event, a previous episode of depression, or financial problems), an elevated level of TPO-Ab (greater than or equal to 100 U/mL) was s ignificantly associated with depression (odds ratio, 3.0, 95% confiden ce interval, 1.3-6.8). We conclude that women with elevated TPO-Ab lev els are especially vulnerable to depression, whereas postmenopausal st atus does not increase the risk of depression.