. 2019 May 17;8(3):130–143. doi: 10.1159/000499751

Table 3.

Prevalence of hypothyroidism according to the results obtained in the sensitivity analysis

Variable	Subclinical hypothyroidism	Overt hypothyroidism	Total hypothyroidism
Sex
Men	2.70% (1.81–3.76%)	0.06% (0.01–0.12%)	2.67% (1.62–3.96%)
	I² = 97.15%^*	I² = 30.37%^***	I² = 96.08%^*
Women	4.80% (2.85–7.20%)	0.49% (0.11–1.09%)	4.83% (2.74–7.46%)
	I² = 99.45%^*	I² = 97.13%^***	I² = 99.06%^*

Age¹
<65 years	3.58% (2.39–4.98%)	0.54% (0.29–0.86%)	4.16% (2.34–6.48%)
	I² = 99.54%^*	I² = 96.67%^***	I² = 99.54%^*
>65 years	5.12% (3.30–7.30%)	1.10% (0.03–3.42%)	6.60% (2.54–12.35%)
	I² = 91.67%^*	I² = 97.00%^***	I² = NR^*

Sample size (number of patients)
<1,000	5.61% (3.40–8.32%)	0.64% (0.28–1.11%)	6.72% (2.11–13.60%)
	I² = 88.65%^*	I² = NR^*	I² = NR^*
1,000–10,000	3.37% (2.20–4.77%)	0.87% (0.09–1.52%)	4.54% (3.73–5.42%)
	I² = 95.92%^*	I² = 91.72%^*	I² = 81.41%^*
>10,000	3.85% (1.92–6.39%)	0.39% (0.01–0.88%)	3.54% (0.87–7.93%)
	I² = 99.85%^*	<SMALLCAPS><ITAL>I</ITAL><UPPER>2</UPPER> = NR^*** </SMALLCAPS>	I² = NR^***

TSH reference values
<4.5 mlU/L	5.34% (3.98–6.88%)	0.62% (0.40–0.87%)	6.11% (4.48–7.97%)
	I² = 94.37%^*	I² = 67.94%^*	I² = 95.70%^*
>4.5 mlU/L	3.46% (2.30–4.85%)	0.70% (0.30–1.25%)	3.68% (2.22–5.49%)
	I² = 99.43%^*	I² = 97.65%^*	I² = 99.10%^*

European geographic region
North	3.75% (1.74–6.47%)	0.76% (0.31–1.41%)	4.16% (1.48–8.11%)
	I² = 99.78%^*	I² = 98.97%^*	I² = 99.86%^*
West	3.90% (2.12–6.20%)	1.41% (0.89–2.22%)	4.08% (3.12–5.31%)
	I² = 97.82%^*	I² = NR^*	I² = NR^*
East	4.67% (2.91–6.80%)	1.07% (0.42–2.72%)	6.43% (4.36–9.40%)
	I² = NR^*	I² = NR^^*	I² = NR^*
South	4.50% (3.28–5.91%)	0.47% (0.33–0.63%)	4.78% (3.52–6.23%)
	I² = 91.18%^*	I² = 21.68%^*	I² = 91.38%^*

NR, not reported; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone.

The mean age of patients included in each study was considered.

p < 0.0001

^**

p < 0.001

^***

p < 0.05.