A cross-sectional study of cutaneous changes in patients with acquired thyroid disorders

Abstract

Background: Thyroid disorders are quite common in India. Thyroid hormone affects the skin and its appendages, and the cutaneous manifestations are more notable during deficiency or excess state. Apart from this, thyroid diseases are accompanied by various autoimmune dermatoses. Aim: The present study was designed to assess the dermatological manifestations in patients with thyroid disease. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in a tertiary care center in Northern India over a period of 1 year. A total of 126 newly diagnosed patients with acquired thyroid disorders were enrolled in the study. All the patients were assessed for cutaneous, hair, nail changes, and associated autoimmune dermatological diseases. Results: Out of 126 patients, 113 had hypothyroidism and 13 had hyperthyroidism. Females outnumbered males in both the study groups. Some patients had more than one dermatological manifestation. The most common dermatological manifestation in hypothyroid patients was generalized xerosis (67.25%), followed by diffuse hair loss (47.78%) and coarse hair (44.24%). In hyperthyroid patients, the most common manifestation was thin soft hair (61.53%), followed by warm skin (53.84%) and Jellinek's sign (38.46%). Chronic urticaria was the most common associated autoimmune dermatological disease in both the study groups. Conclusion: In some instances, the initial and the most prominent complaint of the patient is related to alterations in the skin, and therefore, the dermatologist is at times being the first physician consulted. Identifying the endocrinopathy is very important so that the patients might receive corrective rather than symptomatic treatment.