Subclinical hypothyroidism characteristically presents with elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and normal thyroxine (T4) levels.Various studies have reported the incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism to be 3-15% depending on the population studied. The prevalence of this disorder is bound to increase due to the increased availability of thyroid function testing. Although TSH levels vary widely in the population, intraindividual variation is minimal; this is secondary to a unique individual setpoint in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Subclinical hypothyroidism correlates with an increased risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary artery disease (CAD) events, congestive heart failure and fatal stroke.
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