 Women are more likely to develop hypothyroidism than men. In population-based studies, women were seven times more likely than men to have TSH levels above 10 mU / l. 2 – 4 % of people with subclinical hypothyroidism will progress to overt hypothyroidism each year. The risk is higher in those with antibodies against thyroid peroxidase. Subclinical hypothyroidism is estimated to affect approximately 2 % of children; in adults, subclinical hypothyroidism is more common in the elderly, and in Caucasians. There is a much higher rate of thyroid disorders, the most common of which is hypothyroidism, in individuals with Down syndrome and Turner syndrome.
