Correlation between hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional study

Diabetes is the most common chronic endocrine disease. Numerous studies suggest that hypothyroidism is associated with hypertension, high cholesterol, and abnormal homocysteine level and patients with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. This prospective study was conducted at Lahore General Hospital to estimate the frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with T2DM. Objectives: To determine the frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Study design: This was a cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Medicine, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. Duration of study: Study duration was six months from 06-12-2019 to 05-05-2020. Subjects: Hundred patients through Non-probability consecutive sampling. Methods: Patients fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. Detailed history and examination and Free Serum Thyroxine (T4), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels were measured in all patients using standard immunoassay in the hospital laboratory. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Among 100 patients, 64% patients were male and 58% patients were between ages of 41-60 years with mean age of 46.6 + 4.7 years. Regarding blood sugar levels, 62% patients had < 200 mg/dl whereas remaining patients had blood sugar levels of > 200 mg/dl. Results of study showed that 12% of patients had hypothyroidism. Further stratification of data revealed no significant association between different age groups, gender, duration of diabetes, high BMI and presence of hypothyroidism i.e. p value was 0.9801, 0.9081, 0.8825 and 0.9601 respectively. Conclusion: Frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is high.