Prevalence of hypothyroidism in type 2 diabetic female Kurdish subjects

Abstract EN

Background: The incidence of thyroid disorders is more prevalent in type 1 diabetes compared to type 2 diabetes, due to associated autoimmune disorders.

Physiological and biochemical interconnection between type 1 diabetes mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disease is now stimulating subject of study.

Objectives: The objective was to assess the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among type 2 diabetic Kurdish females and to explore the correlation between metabolic syndrome components and autoimmune thyroid abnormality.

Materials and Methods: The study included 60 type 2 diabetic Kurdish females and 30 sex and age matched controls.

All patients in the study were exposed to anthropometric characteristics, including HbA1c, lipid profile, serum uric acid, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg).

Results: Primary hypothyroidism was found in 24 (40%) diabetic patients (5.67 ± 3.35 μIU/mL) versus three (10%) controls (1.76 ± 1.19 μIU/mL) (P < 0.001).

Anti TPO was found in 66.7% (367.21 ± 234.53) of diabetic patients versus 10% (31.78 ± 32.14) of controls (P 0.001).

Anti Tg was found in 60% (499.98 ± 358.14) of diabetic patients versus 0 (53.27 ± 36.23) controls (P 0.001).

A significant positive relationship was estimated between both TPO antibodies and Tg antibodies and TSH (P = 0.05 and P = 0.001, respectively) in diabetic patients.

Conclusion: Autoimmune thyroid disorder is more prevalent in Kurdish women with type 2 diabetes than nondiabetic women, and thus points to a role of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.