Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Disorders
• Thyroidology

Background:

• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can alter thyroid hormone levels.
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients exhibit a higher prevalence of thyroid disorders.
• Screening for thyroid dysfunction (TD) is crucial in T2DM management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in T2DM patients versus non-diabetic controls.
• To identify risk factors associated with thyroid dysfunction in T2DM patients.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional comparative study involving 100 T2DM patients and 100 non-diabetic controls.
• Assessment of Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), serum free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxin (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.
• Analysis included logistic regression to determine associations.

Main Results:

• Thyroid dysfunction was significantly more prevalent in T2DM patients (15.0%) compared to controls (5.0%) (p=0.018).
• Subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism were the most common TD types in both groups.
• TD was more frequent in individuals aged 40-60, overweight/obese individuals, and those with higher FPG levels. Age >50 years and high FPG were significantly associated with TD.

Conclusions:

• Thyroid dysfunction is more prevalent in T2DM patients than in the general population.
• Routine screening for TD, including TSH and FT4 measurement, is recommended for T2DM patients.
• Age and elevated FPG are significant risk factors for TD in T2DM patients.