Mahantesh Basalingappa Bhutal1 , Neela B. Mannangi2 , Kavitha M. M.3 , Sunitha H. Pujar4
BACKGROUND Thyroid hormones are essential for normal growth, tissue differentiation, general development and metabolism. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by thyrotrope cells of anterior pituitary, plays a very important role in the control of thyroid axis and serves as the most important marker of thyroid hormone action. TSH is a very sensitive and specific parameter for determining thyroid function and is important in early detection or exclusion of thyroid disorders. Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disease, which presents with decreased synthesis of thyroid hormones and their diminished action resulting in decreased metabolic processes and is associated with biochemical dysfunction which includes raised serum creatinine and uric acid levels. This study was undertaken to estimate the serum creatinine and uric acid levels in subclinical, overt hypothyroid cases and healthy controls and correlate these parameters with TSH in hypothyroid cases. METHODS Study included 90 patients of newly diagnosed hypothyroidism, of which 60 were subclinical and 30 were overt cases. 80 age sex matched healthy controls were taken. Venous blood was used for estimation of serum fT3, fT4, TSH, uric acid and creatinine levels. Statistical analysis was done using unpaired t' test. Correlation between creatinine, thyroid parameters and uric acid was done by Pearson’s correlation method. All three parameters were compared using ANOVA test. RESULTS There was significant elevation in serum levels of creatinine and uric acid in subclinical and overt hypothyroidism cases when compared to controls. Overt cases had significantly higher creatinine and uric acid levels in comparison to subclinical hypothyroid cases. Significant positive correlation with TSH was shown by both creatinine and uric acid. CONCLUSIONS Both subclinical and overt hypothyroidism cases are associated with elevated serum creatinine and uric acid levels.
