Peripheral Nerve Function in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Case-Control Study

Peripheral nerve dysfunction is a well p documented feature of clinical hypothyroidism. only a few studies have evaluated the functional alterations in central and peripheral nervous systems in subjectswith subclinical hypothyroidism and results obtained have been controversial. the purpose of the present study was to investigate theeffects of subclinical hypothyroidism on peripheral nerve function.materials and methods: twenty-eight individuals (25 females and 3 males) with subclinical hypothyroidism (defined biochemically as high serum tsh with simultaneously normal serum free t4) as the study group and 30 age and sex matched subjects (27 females and 3 males) with normal thyroid function tests as the control group were enrolled into the study. none of the patients or controls had history of diabetes mellitus, neuromuscular, metabolic, vasculitic or rheumatologic diseases or were taking medications that may alter central or peripheral nervefunction. standard electrodiagnostic methods were used to study motor parameters including motor nerve conduction velocity, distal motor latencies, compound muscle action potential amplitude from median, ulnar, tibial and deep peroneal nerves, minimal-f-response from tibial,