# Association of Serum Thyroid Profile and Glycated Hemoglobin Levels in Diabetic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study found that diabetic patients have lower thyroid hormone levels and worse lipid profiles compared to non-diabetic individuals, with weak links between thyroid hormones and blood sugar control.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the relationship between thyroid hormones and glycemic control in diabetic patients in a specific regional population.

## Key findings

- Diabetic patients had significantly lower total T3 and T4 levels compared to controls.
- HbA1c showed weak correlations with thyroid hormone levels but strong correlations with lipid parameters.
- Lipid profiles were significantly worse in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic controls.

## Abstract

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder frequently associated with thyroid dysfunction and lipid abnormalities, which may worsen glycemic control and increase cardiovascular risk. The interplay between thyroid hormones and glucose metabolism is especially important in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was conducted to assess whether thyroid hormone levels (TSH, total T3, total T4) differ between diabetes and matched controls and whether they correlate with HbA1c within groups and comparison of lipid profiles between groups.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, Assam, India, including 100 diabetic patients and 100 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. Blood samples were analyzed for HbA1c, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxine (T4), and lipid profile using standard automated analyzers. Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression.

Results

Diabetic patients had significantly higher levels of HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) compared to controls. Total T3 and total T4 levels were significantly lower in diabetics, while TSH levels showed a non-significant increasing trend. HbA1c correlated negatively with total T3 and total T4 and positively with lipid parameters. All statistical analyses were done with the help of Microsoft Excel and Jamovi software.

Conclusion

In this study, cases with diabetes had lower total T3 and T4 levels than healthy controls, but their TSH levels were the same. HbA1c exhibited only weak correlations with thyroid indices, suggesting an absence of a robust glycemic-thyroid association in this dataset. Routine screening for lipid abnormalities may help improve metabolic control and reduce complications in diabetic patients.