Evaluation of thyroid dysfunction (TD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients

 

 

Abstract              Background: Association of thyroid dysfunction (TD) and diabetes mellitus(DM), well known in type 1 DM due to autoimmunity but in type 2 DM largely unknown. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction varies between 10% to 31% in type 2 DM patients according to various studies. Identification of TD in DM, early intervention of TD if needed may significantly reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes. So the present study aims to know the prevalence of TD among type 2 DM patients. Diabetic Patients attending medicine out-patient clinic and /or admitted as inpatient under department of medicine in Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, and satisifying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and who gave consent to participate in the study were enrolled. Results: In our study majority of the patients were females (58%), maximum number of cases were reported in the age group of 41 to 50 years. Among patients studied for thyroid function 74% are euthyroid,18% subclinical hypothyroid,7% overt hypothyroid and only 1% having subclinical hyperthyroidism. Out of 26 patients of thyroid dysfunction in the study, 19 patients had increased TPO antibody among them 15 were female and remain 4 are male. Conclusion: The present study shows that prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in type 2 DM patients. Our study emphasizes the need to screen for thyroid dysfunction in all type 2 DM patients at the time of diagnosis and then annually.

Key words: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmunity.