Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39358350›Full record

ArticleClinical chemistry and laboratory medicine2025

Establishing the TSH reference intervals for healthy adults aged over 70 years: the Australian ASPREE cohort study.

Cammie Tran, Duncan J Topliss, Hans G Schneider, Ego Seeman, Daniel Clayton-Chubb, Johannes T Neumann, Nadira Kakoly, Zhen Zhou, Sultana Monira Hussain, Amanda J Rickard and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Depression in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses in a Community-Dwelling Population.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2026
    Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Cammie TranSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3997-6118
Duncan J ToplissDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Hans G SchneiderSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6048-8744
Ego SeemanDepartment of Medicine and Endocrinology, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Daniel Clayton-ChubbSchool of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Johannes T NeumannSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Nadira KakolySchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Zhen ZhouSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Sultana Monira HussainSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Amanda J RickardSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
David P Q ClarkSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Raj C ShahDepartment of Family and Preventive Medicine and the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Robyn L WoodsSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
John J McNeilSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 2541 Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Funding

ASPirin in Reducing Events in the ElderlyU01AG029824 · NIA · HENNEPIN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI MCNEIL, JOHN JAMES, MURRAY, ANNE M · 2009 to 2018
$64.6M
Main Administrative CoreU19AG062682 · NIA · HENNEPIN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI CHAN, ANDREW T, MCNEIL, JOHN JAMES · 2019 to 2023
$42.9M
NIA NIH HHS U01 AG029824NIA NIH HHS U19 AG062682
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAs thyroid disorders are common amongst the elderly, this study aims to evaluate the reference interval (RI) for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in healthy adults aged 70 years and over.

methodsA proposed RI was determined from the Australian participants of the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) randomised trial. Participants had no history of cardiovascular disease, thyroid cancer, dementia, or life-threatening illnesses. Participants prescribed with any thyroid-related medication at baseline were excluded. TSH levels were measured using a commercial chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay. The RI was determined using the middle 95th percentile of the logarithmic transformed data of baseline TSH. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to validate the RI by assessing disease incidence over time.

resultsA total of 10,995 participants had baseline TSH measures. Median (IQR) age was 73.9 (71.8-77.3) years. We propose a RI of 0.34-3.75 mU/L. TSH levels did not differ by age or sex. At baseline, there was no association between symptoms associated with thyroid disease and levels of TSH. Over the follow-up period of up to 11 years, no association was seen between baseline TSH levels and relevant disease outcomes for participants within the RI.

conclusionsFrom a group of initially healthy, community-dwelling adults aged >=70 years, we propose a RI of TSH to best represent euthyroidism. This concentration was not associated with an increased risk of thyroid related symptoms or outcomes, confirming its appropriateness for clinical use.

Indexed as

ThyrotropinAgedAged, 80 and overAustraliaCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleProportional Hazards ModelsReference ValuesThyrotropinageingbiochemistrygeriatricthyroidthyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

Identifiers

PMID39358350
PMCPMC11774052

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.