Evaluation of Thyroid Volume and Thyroid Function in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract

Abdulhamza Rajooj Hmood, Ban Waheed Hussein Bdair, Satar Jabbar Rahi Al-Graittee.

The pathophysiological relationship between thyroid dysfunction and diabetes mellitus (DM) is centered around the interplay between thyroid hormones and carbohydrate metabolism. The significance of thyroid dysfunction in type 2 DM is not fully recognised. This study investigated the effects of thyroid volume and thyroid function in newly diagnosed diabetic patients with the aim of recommending the significance of thyroid status assessment in the management of type 2 DM. One hundred patients newly diagnosed with type 2 DM and 100 non-diabetic volunteers were recruited for the study. Thyroid ultrasonography was used to measure thyroid volume and monitor presence of nodules. Thyroid function test was carried by analysing serum levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) while severity of diabetic status was evaluated by measuring random blood sugar (RBS) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The prevalence of thyroid nodules, mean thyroid volume, RBS and HbA1c was significantly higher in the DM group compared to the non-DM group. With the exception of FT4, there was no significant difference between the two groups in thyroid hormones. Pearson’s correlation revealed strong uphill correlation between thyroid volume and RBS as well as HbA1c while the presence of thyroid nodules showed moderate downhill correlation with thyroid volume, RBS and HbA1c.Type 2 DM is associated with thyroid dysfunction that worsens with severity of diabetic condition, hence it is recommended that baseline and follow-up thyroid status be checked in newly diagnosed type 2 DM patients.