Thyrotoxicosis at Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi

Abstract

A three-year (1974-1977) retrospective study of 163 patients with goiter and signs of thyrotoxicosis was carried out.Of thesepatients, 65 (40%) had confirmed thyrotoxicosis,the rest were euthyroid.Kungu(1) reported 36 cases histologically diagnosed over a period of 5 years(1967-1971).Gitau in a six year study1968-1973) REPORTED 148 cases.This suggests that thyrotoxicosis is on the increase at KNH.One the reasons for the increase may be that the patients are becoming more aware of the disease and therefore reporting to the hospital for treatment.The second reason is that the doctors are increasingly interested in the disease.Thirdly, the introduction of iodised domestic salt may cause some patients to become toxic (iodine stimulation).The majority of patients were treated with antithyroid drugs;if they relapsed or did not respond to medical therpy, surgery or radio iodine were the next methods of treatment.