Severe back pain, depression and psycho-organic syndrome.

males are more strongly predisposed than females. Our study may underestimate the incidence of thyroid dysfunction, since no thyroid function tests were available for 59 individuals. It is possible (although intuitively improbable) that the apparent excess of AAT among men could be caused by selective failure to detect biochemical thyrotoxicosis among the women rather than the men who did not have thyroid function tests recorded. The prevalence of AAT in our population lies within the range of previously reported estimates, but significant underestimation of the overall level of thyrotoxicosis cannot be excluded. The high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction identified argues for rigorous adherence to the recommendation of 6-monthly thyroid function testing in such patients. General practitioners and cardiologists need to establish robust programmes of regular thyroid function screening in users of amiodarone.