Evaluate the hematologic parameters, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with autoimmune hypothyroidism from Amara City, Southern Iraq

Abstract

Abstract Background: Thyroid diseases are affecting 3%–5% of the women general population. Autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s disease were detected to be the commonest disorders affecting thyroid function. Objectives: This study is a case–control study that aimed to estimate the effect of HT on hematological parameters. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 persons (50 HT patients and 50 euthyroid groups) of both sexes aged between 15 and 50 years were included in this study during the period April 2021–April 2022. Samples of venous blood (5 mL) were obtained from the study participants and used for the estimation of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), FT3, and FT4 levels, as well as anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), anti-thyroglobulin (TG) concentration, as well as hematologic parameters. Results: The results of this study showed that HT patients had significantly higher levels of TSH as well as thyroid autoantibodies (anti-TPO and anti-TG) and significantly lower levels of FT3 and FT4. A considerable decrease was found in the hematocrit, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume among HT patients, whereas no significant differences were found between the HT patients and the euthyroid group in total red blood cell count, total white blood cell count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, platelet counts, MPV, mean distribution width, plateletcrit, and PLCR. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values were significantly higher in the HT patients compared with the euthyroid group. Conclusions: The current study concluded that Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is associated with significant elevation in the serum concentrations of anti-TPO and anti-TG antibodies, high TSH levels, and decreased FT3 and FT4 levels. Hashimoto’s disease resulted in a significant decrease in the hemoglobin concentration; hence, patients with HT could be at risk to have anemia. Also, HT was associated with elevated NLR and PLR values; therefore, NLR and PLR ratios could be used as routine, inexpensive, easily accessible markers at the clinical course or the severity of autoimmune diseases that progress with chronic inflammation.