AbstractBackground and Objectives: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is any bleeding from the genital tract which is a deviation from the normal in frequency, cyclicity, or quantity . Thyroid dysfunction is associated with marked number of menstrual disabilities. This study aimed at detecting thyroid dysfunction in patients with a provisional diagnosis of AUB and early referral of positive cases to physician for further evaluation for prevention of overzealous surgical intervention. Methods: In this study, 151 cases of clinically diagnosed AUB were enrolled from Gynaecology OPD and in Patients of R.L Jalappa Hospital and Research centre, constituent of Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Tamaka, Kolar. All patients from puberty to premenopausal age groups manifesting as menorrhagia, acyclical metropathia, polymenorrhagia, metrorrhagia, oligomenorrhoea, polymenorrhoea and hypomenorrhoea were evaluated for their thyroid function by T3, T4, TSH screening. A patient who had clinical symptoms and signs of thyroid disease, was on hormonal treatment, IUCD users, or had bleeding disorders were excluded from the study. Results: Among 151 patients studied, 23.17% of patients had thyroid dysfunction of which 13.25% had subclinical hypothyroidism, 7.28% had hypothyroidism and only 2.64% had hyperthyroidism. The most common bleeding abnormality in subclinical hypothyroid patients were found to be polymenorrhoea and menorrhagia. All hyperthyroid women were identified as oligomenorrhoeic. Interpretation and Conclusion: In our study, thyroid dysfunction was observed in 23.17% of women with abnormal uterine bleeding, of which most common was subclinical hypothyroidism(13.25%), followed by hypothyroidism (7.28%) and hyperthyroidism( 2.64%). Oligomenorrhoea (34.48%), followed by polymenorrhoea (33.3%) and acyclical bleeding (27.2%) were commonest menstrual abnormalities seen in thyroid dysfunction. Hence, T3, T4 and TSH screening should be made mandatory in abnormal uterine bleeding cases, to detect thyroid dysfunction. Treatment of thyroid dysfunction in women with abnormal uterine bleeding will avoid overzealous surgical intervention and injudicious hormonal treatment.
Keywords: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) Hypothyroidism Subclinical Hypothyroidism Hyperthyroidism.