Abstract

Background: The term “thyroid diabetes” depicts the effect of excess thyroid hormones in the progressively worsening glucose control. Subclinical hypothyroidism is most commonly present in females than males, reaching a prevalence of up to 20% in older females. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease are the principal causes of hyper- and hypothyroidisms.

Objectives: (1) To study the prevalence of hypothyroidism in diabetes and to evaluate the etiologic evidence of triglycerides on prevailing cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome. (2) To determine the mean levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, triiodothyronine, serum thyroxin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. (3) To evaluate the hemoglobin levels and to establish the prevalence of anemia in diabetic patients with hypothyroidism. (4) To determine the mean age and male/female ratio in diabetic patients with hypothyroidism.

Materials and Methods: This study was a hospital-based case–control study carried out at Department of General Medicine, Owaisi Hospital and Research Center, Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India. A total of 76 patients (63 women and 13 men) were enrolled in the study along with 38 control participants after explaining the study process and taking an inform consent. Blood samples were collected on the basis of history of diabetes noted for these patients.

Results: Among 76 patients included in the study, 38 patients were having diabetes and hypothyroidism and the rest of them had normal diagnostic profile. The mean age was found to be 33.5 ± 13.8, and 18.5% men and 81.5% women were having hypothyroidism along with diabetes. The thyroid profile of patients with diabetes showed a remarkable increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone and this was considered to be the hypothyroidism as the mean level in the patients was 15.4 ± 17.1.

Conclusion: In this study, diabetic patients with hypothyroidism showed increased FBS, HbA1c levels as the Hb levels were decreased whereas the triglyceride levels were increased from moderate to high, which in turn increased the susceptibility to cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, patients need timely cardiac monitoring and life style modification to avert the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk.

Key words: Hypothyroidism, diabetes, anemia, triglycerides