Reference Interval of Serum Thyroid Hormones in Healthy Korean Adults

Objectives : This study was conducted to determine the reference interval of serum thyroid hormones(TSH, $FT_3$, $FT_4$) in healthy Korean adults. Methods : Health examination data from 1,591 healthy Korean adults who visited an university hospital were analyzed. Patients with specific health conditions capable of altering laboratory results were excluded from the study. Serum thyroid hormones were measured using IMMULITE 2000 (DPC, USA, 2002). Subjects were 18-65 years old; 911 were male, and 690 were female. Results : The arithmetic means of TSH, $FT_3$, and $FT_4$ values for male subjects were $1.28{\pm}1.84\;{\mu}IU/ml$, $3.23{\pm}0.57\;pg/ml$, and $1.42{\pm}0.22\;ng/dl$, respectively. In female subjects, the arithmetic means of TSH, FT3, and FT4 values were $1.49{\pm}2.08\;{\mu}IU/ml$, $3.08{\pm}0.54\;pg/ml$, and $1.29{\pm}0.24\;ng/dl$, respectively. The arithmetic mean $FT_4$ value for males decreased with age (p<0.01). The arithmetic mean $FT_3$ value for females increased with age (p<0.01). The arithmetic mean thyroid hormone values of all study subjects differed significantly based on season. The arithmetic mean of male $FT_4$ decreased with increasing BMI (p<0.01). The arithmetic mean of female $FT_3$ increased with increasing BMI (p<0.01). The reference intervals recommended by the IMMULITE 2000 manufacturer are $0.40-4.00\;{\mu}IU/ml$ for TSH, 1.80-4.20 pg/ml for $FT_3$, and 0.80-1.90 ng/dl for $FT_4$ (same values for both genders). Conclusions : There was a significant difference in the interval of thyroid hormones between males and females, but the reference interval of IMMULITE 2000 was not established by gender. There is a need to reestablish the reference interval for thyroid hormones in Korean healthy adults.

건강한 한국인 성인의 혈청 갑상선호르몬 참고치