Thyroid Function in Health Care Workers Exposed to Ionizing Radiation.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze possible alterations of thyroid function related to dosimetric values in health care workers exposed to ionizing radiation.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Forty-six health care workers exposed to ionizing radiation at a tertiary hospital previously exposed to ionizing radiation were included in the study. Age, sex, history of thyroid diseases, thyroid hormones, work post, service, dosimetric values of previous year, and 5 y period were considered. Alterations of thyroid function and other variables were analyzed by exact logistic regression univariate model.

RESULTS

7.1% workers showed an increased serum thyroid-stimulating hormone without free T3 or free T4 alteration. A significant relationship between workers with increased thyroid-stimulating hormone and dosimetric values of previous year (odds ratio 6.35, 95% confidence interval 1.20-98.1, p = 0.021) and previous 5 y period of radiation exposure (odds ratio 1.72, 95% confidence interval 1.12-3.34, p = 0.007) was obtained.

CONCLUSION

An increased risk of subclinical hypothyroidism related to radiation doses was observed in this pilot study on a group of health care workers exposed to ionizing radiation.