Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Young Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Eastern India, Study of 120 Cases from a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

*Visual Abstracts prepared by Dr. Jerico Gutierrez

Objective: The  association  between  thyroid  dysfunction  and  Type 2  Diabetes Mellitus has  been reported  in  several  studies.   This study  was  done  to explore  the  prevalence of  thyroid  dysfunction  in  young (<40 years) patients with type 2  Diabetes  Mellitus in  Eastern  India.

Methododology: A  retrospective chart  review  of  120  patients  with  Type 2 Diabetes  Mellitus  was done. 120  patients (male 81, female 39)  of  age <40  years, who fulfilled  the diagnostic  criteria  for  Diabetes  Mellitus  according  to  ADA  (American  Diabetes  Association) were enrolled and investigated through performance of  Thyroid  Function  Tests (FT4,TSH).

Results:   Of  120  patients  (of  less  than  40  years  of  age ), 65.83%  of  patients  had the  biochemical  features  of  thyroid  dysfunction.  In descending  order  of frequency,  we found subclinical  hypothyroidism  in 43.33% of cases (defined  by  no  symptoms  or no clinical  features  of  hypothyroidism  but  with TSH  level  in  the  range  of  above 5 miu/ml  but  below  10 miu/ml  with  normal  FT4  level),  followed by  9.2% of patients with overt hypothyroidism  ( either  clinical  features  or TSH >10 miu/ml  or  FT4 below normal), 8.3%  with subclinical  hyperthyroidism (only  biochemically  low  level  of  TSH <0.34 miu/ml  in  this  study)  and  5%  of patients  show  features  of  clinical  hyperthyroidism  (clinical  or  FT4  level  well  above  normal  range  along  with  low  TSH).

Conclusion: A  high  prevalence  of  thyroid  dysfunction  in young  type 2  DM  patients  suggests  evaluation  for  thyroid disorder  for proper management.