Effect of ionizing radiation on thyroid function among medical workers in department of cardiovascular medicine
10.13491/j.issn.1004-714X.2022.05.020
- VernacularTitle:电离辐射对心血管内科医务人员甲状腺功能的影响
- Author:
Hanli XU
1
;
Dan LIU
1
Author Information
1. 904 Hospital of PLA Cardiovascular Department, Wuxi 214044 China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Ionizing radiation;
Thyroid function;
Subclinical hypothyroidism;
Occupational exposure
- From:
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health
2022;31(5):626-630
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To examine the possible effect of ionizing radiation on thyroid function among medical workers in the department of cardiovascular medicine. Methods Forty-six medical workers in the department of cardiovascular medicine with exposure to ionizing radiation were enrolled as the study subjects. Subjects’ demographic features were collected. Serum free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using chemiluminescence assay, and the annual personal dose equivalent (Hp (10)) received in 2019 and the fiver-year cumulative Hp (10) from 2015 to 2019 were measured using a thermoluminescent personal dosimeter. The associations of altered thyroid functions with subjects’ age, sex, previous history of thyroid diseases, family history of thyroid diseases, working post, work seniority, and previous history of exposure to ionizing radiation were evaluated using an exact logistic regression model. Results The incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism (elevated serum TSH level without alteration in fT3 or fT4 level) was 6.5% among the study subjects. The Hp (10) was 0 to 4.5 mSv among the subjects in 2019, with a mean dose of (0.2 ± 0.7) mSv and a median dose of 0 mSv, and the five-year cumulative Hp (10) from 2015 to 2019 was 0 to 11.6 mSv, with a mean dose of (0.8 ± 2.3) mSv and a median dose of 0 mSv. The exact logistic regression analysis showed that the altered thyroid functions were not significantly associated with age, sex, previous history of thyroid diseases, family history of thyroid diseases, working post, work seniority, or previous history of exposure to ionizing radiation (all P > 0.05). Conclusion Long-term exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation may be associated with an increased risk of subclinical hypothyroidism among medical workers in the department of cardiovascular medicine.
