Thyroid Status in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that often coexists with other autoimmune conditions, notably thyroid dysfunction. This study explores the prevalence and patterns of thyroid abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the rheumatology ward of a tertiary care hospital, enrolling 100 rheumatoid arthritis patients above 18 years of age. Thyroid function was assessed using FT3, FT4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Associations between thyroid dysfunction and demographic or clinical variables were analysed using IBM Corp. Released 2017. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp., with categorical variables compared using chi-square tests, and continuous variables analysed using t-tests.

Among the 100 participants (76% female; mean age 47.2±11.3 years), thyroid dysfunction was observed in 26%, with primary hypothyroidism being the most prevalent (14%), followed by subclinical hypothyroidism (5%) and hyperthyroidism (7%). Thyroid dysfunction was significantly associated with female gender (p=0.0211), older age (p=0.0018), and longer rheumatoid arthritis duration (p=0.0013). Patients with thyroid dysfunction also showed a higher prevalence of fatigue and loss of appetite (p<0.05).

Thyroid dysfunction is significantly more common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, especially in older females and those with longer disease duration. Routine thyroid screening in rheumatoid arthritis patients may aid early identification and improve clinical outcomes.