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Thyroid Function and the Risk of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Oscar H Roa Dueñas1, Anna C Van der Burgh1,2, Till Ittermann3,4
1Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|February 9, 2022
Summary
Hypothyroidism increases type 2 diabetes risk, while lower free thyroxine (FT4) levels within the reference range may also be associated with higher risk. More research is needed to confirm these findings for thyroid function and diabetes incidence.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in glucose metabolism.
- Previous studies on thyroid function and type 2 diabetes risk have yielded conflicting results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize evidence from prospective studies on the association between thyroid function and incident type 2 diabetes.
- To clarify the relationship between various thyroid function states and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases (Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane, Google Scholar).
- Inclusion of prospective studies assessing thyroid function and incident type 2 diabetes.
- Meta-analysis using random-effects models to pool hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Main Results:
- Seven studies were included, with six contributing to the meta-analysis.
- Hypothyroidism was associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes (HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05-1.52).
- Lower free thyroxine (FT4) levels within the reference range showed a decreased risk (HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91-0.98), while hyperthyroidism and TSH within the reference range did not show significant associations.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence indicates an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with hypothyroidism.
- Lower FT4 levels within the reference range may also be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Further population-based studies are warranted to solidify these associations due to limited evidence.
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