Thyroid Stimulating Hormone as a Possible Additional COVID-19 Outcome Marker

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pulmonology

Background:

• The interplay between thyroid function and SARS-CoV-2 infection is not fully elucidated.
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels may offer insights into COVID-19 severity and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive value of serum TSH levels for short-term and middle-term outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
• To assess the association between TSH levels and disease severity indicators.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of electronic health records for 580 COVID-19 patients without prior thyroid disease.
• Evaluation of short-term outcomes (hospital stay, lung involvement, oxygen needs, ICU admission, mortality) and middle-term outcomes (lung involvement 6-8 weeks post-discharge).

Main Results:

• Lower TSH levels correlated with increased disease severity, including higher oxygen requirements, ICU admission, corticosteroid use, and mortality.
• Patients with low TSH during hospitalization were more likely to have persistent lung involvement post-discharge.
• TSH levels significantly increased after the acute COVID-19 phase.

Conclusions:

• Suppressed serum TSH during acute COVID-19 is a potential biomarker for predicting unfavorable short- and middle-term outcomes.
• Incorporating TSH measurement into routine laboratory assessments could enhance COVID-19 patient prognostication.