thyroid function tests in patients with chalazia

purpose: to evaluate the prevalence of clinical and subclinical thyroid disorders using thyroid function tests in patients with single and multiple chalazia. methods: a complete ophthalmologic examination and thyroid function tests including thyroid stimulating hormone (tsh), thyroxine (t4) and triiodothyronine (t3) were performed in 60 patients with single chalazia and 50 patients with multiple chalazia, consecutively referred to poostchi eye clinic, shiraz, iran and compared with 60 age- and gender-matched control subjects. results: mean tsh values were higher in patients with single (3.89 mu/l) and multiple (4.80 mu/l) chalazia as compared to controls (3.02 mu/l) (p= 0.23). no significant difference was detected for t4 levels between patients with single or multiple chalazia as compared to controls. the prevalence of blepharitis was 18% in patients with single chalazia, 34% in patients with multiple chalazia, both of which were higher than controls (5%) (p<0.001). the difference between patients with single and multiple chalazia in terms of the prevalence of blepharitis was also significant (p<0.05) conclusion: there was no significant difference between patients with single and multiple chalazia in comparison with controls regarding thyroid function tests; however the prevalence of blepharitis in patients with multiple chalazia was higher than patients with single chalazia and both figures were higher than controls.