Thyroid profile in patients of liver cirrhosis and correlation with severity and etiology of liver disease

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid disease has been observed to be associated with liver injuries or deranged liver function. This study was conducted to study thyroid dysfunction in patients of liver cirrhosis and any association between severity of liver cirrhosis and thyroid profile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, liver cirrhosis patients aged >18 years with evidence of hepatocellular dysfunction with portal hypertension compared with apparently healthy age-gender matched. Data were collected on a semistructural questionnaire with general physical and systemic examinations, including thyroid examination. The etiology of disease was ascertained on the basis of clinical examination and investigation. RESULTS: The study included 72 case (70.8% male and 29.2% female) and equal number of control participants. Controls as compared to cases had free triiodothyronine (fT3) (2.45 ± 0.40 vs. 1.60 ± 0.50 pg/ml) and free tetraiodothyronine (fT4) (1.26 ± 0.21 vs. 1.15 ± 0.48 ng/ml). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) value of cases were 3.61 ± 0.95 μIU/ml and controls were 3.01 ± 0.66 μIU/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Liver disease cases as compared to controls had significantly lower fT3 levels and significantly higher TSH levels. Mortality rate of liver disease cases with thyroid dysfunction was also found to be significantly higher.