THYROID ABNORMALITIES AMONG HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH COVID-19: A RETROSPECTIVE

Muneera Al Shareef*, Samia Bokhari, Patan Murthuza Khan#, Ghada Al Rayes, Manar Ibrahim,
Ismail Al Makrami, Salem Al Sohaimi, Maram Al Johani, Lamees Filimban, Lama Arfaj, Shaza Khan, Turki Al Harthi, Mohammed Galal, Hamdi Al Qadi and Rania Faheem

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose: The outbreak of new COVID-19 started in 2019. Since then complex and severe effects on human organ systems have been identified as COVID-19 infection. In addition, thyroid dysfunction caused by COVID-19 infection is becoming recognized worldwide. Though, the prevalence of thyroid disorders and their association with the prognosis of COVID-19 is not yet fully clarified. We aimed to evaluate the thyroid function abnormalities in COVID-19 and explore its association with comorbid conditions and the severity of the disease. Methods: Its retrospective study of 102 patients admitted with confirmed COVID-19 infection to a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Thyroid funcion tests, clinical manifestations, laboratory results, associated comorbid conditions, and outcomes were studied. Exclusion criteria were patients with prior thyroid disease, taking any medications that affect thyroid function, and pregnant women. The study population included all patients aged above 18 years and with available thyroid function tests at admission or during hospitalization. In an additional analysis of the thyroid function test, we searched the medical records of the patients included in the analysis during the follow-up to six months after discharge to see the recovery or persistence of abnormalities. Results: One hundred-two patients were included in the study. 60.8% were male and 39.2 % were female. The mean age was 62 years. 38.2% out of 102 had thyroid abnormalities. Non- thyroidal illness (NTI) was a major thyroid abnormality amounting to 71% of patients with thyroid abnormality. A higher percentage of patients with thyroid abnormalities were treated with medications, but the difference was statistically not significant. The median days of intubation were non-significant in both groups. Although in terms of clinical outcome lower percentage (66.7%) of patients with thyroid abnormalities recovered and were discharged compared to 81% without thyroid abnormalities after discharge, in all patients with NTI, thyroid function returned to normal within six months. Kaplan–Meier curves for the length of stay in the hospital were similar in both groups. Conclusion: In this retrospective study, NTI is the most common thyroid abnormality seen in COVID-19 infection; patients with thyroid abnormalities had similar laboratory findings. There was no difference between patients with thyroid abnormalities compared to those without thyroid abnormalities concerning different clinical outcomes.

Keywords: COVID-19, Thyroid abnormalities, non-thyroidal illness Impact, Pathogenesis.