Incidence of thyroid dysfunction and hypothyroidism induced hypercholestremia among the patients in Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Disorders of thyroid function is very much known to influence the metabolism of lipids associated mostly with increased level of cholesterol in the body. Hypothyroidism has an adverse effect on the serum lipid profile that may be a predisposing factor to the development of atherosclerotic disease, which again contributing to the establishment of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Objectives: To screen the patients suffering from the disorders of thyroid hormone and to elicit the relation of increased total cholesterol level in the blood in case of hypothyroidism.

Material and Methods: A total of 762 patients were screened for thyroid dysfunction by estimating free triiodothyronine-3 (fT3), free thyroxine-4 (fT4), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) along with the level of total cholesterol in the blood samples collected from those patients attended Nobel Medical College OPD in between 1st March 2013 to 31^st January 2014 and recruited for this study after Institutional ethical approval.

Serum samples from these patients were tested for fT3, fT4 & TSH level by Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA). The total blood cholesterol was estimated by CHOD/PAP method. Mean value and standard deviation were calculated using Student’s two–tailed t–test. Analysis of data was performed using one–way ANOVA. Results are considered statistically significant if p ≤0.05.

Results: Out of 762 patients, 20.2% were hypothyroid, 15.09% were hyperthyroid and 64.69% were euthyroid. Out of all cases of hypothyroidism, 63.63% of patients were female where as 36.36% were male patients. Similarly, out of the total patients suffering from hyperthyroidism, 70.43% were of female and 29.56% were of male. Total cholesterol level (304±63) was found to be significantly elevated in those blood samples collected from the group having hypothyroidism than those of euthyroid group (p=0.05).

Conclusion: The present study provides the information about the prevalence of thyroid disorder among the population of Biratnagar, eastern Nepal. It also elicits that the total cholesterol level is highly increased among the patients associated with hypothyroidism, likely to be a potential factor contributing to cardiovascular disease in this group.  

Keywords: CLIA, Eastern Nepal; Thyroid hormones; Total Cholesterol