Epidemiology of the rotator cuff tears: a new incidence related to thyroid disease.

BACKGROUND in the last years the incidence of rotator cuff tears increased and one main cause still waiting to be clarified. Receptors for thyroid hormones in rotator cuff tendons suggest possible effects on tendons metabolism and status. We undertook a retrospective, observational cohort study of 441 patients who underwent arthroscopic and mini-open repair for non traumatic degenerative rotator cuff tears. METHODS all the patients, predominantly females (63%), were interview to assess the relationship (frequency for class age "20 yrs" and factor analysis) between lesions of the rotator cuff with the following variables: gender, thyroid disease, smoker, taking medications for diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol; presence of associated conditions (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia). RESULTS thyroid disease is highly frequently (until 63% for 60<80 yrs) in females group independent to the age. Conversely, males showed a high frequency for smoker 37<62% until 80 yrs and 50% hypercholesterolemia over 80 yrs for the clinical variable studied. CONCLUSIONS this is the first clinical report that shown a relationship between thyroid pathologies and non-traumatic rotator cuff tear as increased risk factors.