THYROID STIMULATING HORMONES AND FREE THYROXINE AS AN INDICATION OF THYROID DYSFUNCTION AT PATHOLOGY LABORATORY OF MNAZI MMOJA HOSPITAL, ZANZIBAR

BACKGROUND: Iodine is a fundamental micronutrient intended for usual human growth and development. It is predictable that more than 1.6 billion people reside in iodine-deficient situations; however there are still some countries and areas where the prevalence of iodine-deficiency disorders is unknown. Iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) is major public health problem in many parts of the world as well as Zanzibar everywhere its consequence including thyroid dysfunction abnormalities, endemic goiter and cretinism.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, based on laboratory investigation to find out the levels of free T4, freeT3 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). All patient aged 10 and above suspected having thyroid. A total of 288 samples were collected from the patients suspected having a thyroid dysfunction and those samples were processed by automatic multi scan Elisa reader automated machine at clinical chemistry department of pathology laboratory MMH.RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Â This study shows lower levels of TSH in women are 26(9percent) and male are 9(3.1percent) and the higher levels are 20(7percent) and 12(4.1percent). The lower levels of fT3 in women are 11(4percent) and 3(1percent) in male and the high levels of fT3 in women are 78(27percent) and 31(11percent) in male. Lower levels of free T4 in women 10(3percent). High levels women are 117(41percent) and 44(15percent) in male. According to these results women had more thyroid dysfunction compare to males.Key words: TSH, fT3, fT4, Elisa, MM