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Different fatty acid patterns in serum in patients with various thyroid diseases
Martyna Lukasiewicz1,2, Agata Zwara3, Monika Czapiewska4
1Department of Surgical Oncology, Transplant Surgery and General Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Smoluchowskiego 17, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland.
Scientific Reports
|January 6, 2026
Summary
Fatty acid profiles are altered in thyroid disease patients, with specific reductions observed in Hashimoto
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Biochemistry
- Diagnostic Biomarkers
Background:
- Thyroid diseases and obesity represent significant global health challenges.
- The influence of fatty acids (FAs) on various health conditions is recognized, but their specific role in thyroid disorders requires further elucidation.
- Understanding FA profiles may offer new diagnostic avenues for thyroid pathologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate fatty acid profiles in patients diagnosed with thyroid diseases.
- To assess the diagnostic potential of specific fatty acids as biomarkers for thyroid disorders.
- To explore alterations in fatty acid metabolism pathways associated with thyroid conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 173 thyroid disease patients from a cohort of 891 treated at the Medical University of Gdansk (2021-2024).
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for comprehensive fatty acid profiling.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) were utilized to evaluate diagnostic utility and metabolic pathway changes.
Main Results:
- Significant variations in FA profiles were observed in thyroid disease patients compared to controls.
- Reduced levels of specific n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid [ALA], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were noted in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).
- Certain FAs demonstrated high area under the curve (AUC) values in ROC analysis, particularly for HT and follicular cell adenoma, suggesting diagnostic potential.
Conclusions:
- Fatty acid profiling reveals significant metabolic alterations in patients with thyroid diseases.
- Specific FAs, particularly n-3 polyunsaturated FAs, may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
- These findings provide novel insights into the metabolic underpinnings of thyroid disorders and support the diagnostic utility of FA analysis.
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