Thyroid Function in Newly Diagnosed HIV-positive Patients

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Northeastern India has the highest prevalence of HIV in India.
• HIV infection is associated with endocrine and metabolic disturbances, including thyroid dysfunction.
• Thyroid function abnormalities affect 4-35% of adult HIV patients, ranging from hypothyroidism to hyperthyroidism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate thyroid function in newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals attending an ART center in Assam.
• To determine the prevalence and types of thyroid dysfunction in this population.
• To analyze thyroid dysfunction in relation to age, sex, and CD4 cell count.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based observational study was conducted on 95 newly diagnosed, ART-naive HIV-positive patients.
• Thyroid function tests (TSH, FT3, FT4) and CD4 counts were performed.
• Data were collected on patient history, examinations, and laboratory investigations.

Main Results:

• 36.84% of patients exhibited thyroid dysfunction, with subclinical hypothyroidism being the most common.
• Thyroid dysfunction was more prevalent in females (42.3%) and the 30-39 age group.
• Patients with thyroid dysfunction often had CD4 counts between 101-200 cells/mm³.

Conclusions:

• Thyroid dysfunction is a common comorbidity in newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients in Northeast India.
• The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in this cohort is significantly higher than in the general population.
• Thyroid abnormalities are observed across all stages of HIV infection.