Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Greek patients with type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) diabetes as well as its possible relation to glycemic control and to diabetic complications.

Patients and methods: A total of 990 patients (60.7% men) with T1DM or T2DM, consecutively followed in the Outpatient Diabetes Clinic, participated in the study. In every patient anthropometric and biochemical measurements, occurrence of diabetes complications and classical comorbidities were assessed. Average HbA1c of the previous year was calculated. Moreover, the well-being of every patient was determined, using a scale from 1 to 10. All the above parameters were compared between subjects with or without thyroid disease.

Results: All 990 patients were euthyroid at the time of the study, either on thyroid medications or not. 13% of them had T1DM and 87% T2DM. Mean age of T1DM patients: 47.5 years and of T2DM patients: 67.6 years. Mean duration of diabetes: 23.6 years and 16.1 years respectively. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in T1DM patients was 43.8% vs 23.5% in T2DM patients (P<0.05). The prevalence of nodular goiter in T1DM patients was 17.5% vs 32.1% (P=0.05) in T2DM patients. Moreover, T2DM patients with hypothyroidism compared to matched patients without, had higher HbA1C: 7.41% vs 6.97% (P<0.01), higher total cholesterol 181.4 mg/dl versus 164 mg/dl (P<0.001) and higher HDL 51 mg/dl vs 46 mg/dl (P<0.005). T2DM patients without hypothyroidism had a better wellness feeling compared to the patients with hypothyroidism: 7.5 vs 5.3 (P<0.001).

Conclusions: Screening for thyroid disease among patients with type 2 diabetes should be routinely considered because of the high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in these patients. It is another risk factor that if remains undiagnosed could aggravate the usual comorbidities of diabetes mellitus.