Publication:

Analysis and establish a correlation between serum ceruloplasmin, serum apelin level and thyroid profile in patients with hypothyroidism and healthy controls

Background Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder resulting from deficiency of thyroid hormone. It is often the primary process in which the thyroid gland produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. It can also be secondary, i.e., lack of thyroid hormone secretion due to the failure of either adequate thyrotropin (TSH) secretion from the pituitary gland or thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus (secondary or tertiary hypothyroidism). The patient's appearance may vary from asymptomatic to, rarely, coma with multisystem organ failure (myxoedema coma).

Methods The present observational descriptive, cross sectional study has been conducted on 120 newly diagnosed Subclinical Hypothyroidism patients of 20-50 years age group of both sex attending the OPD of department of medicine, RVRS medical college and associated group of hospitals, Bhilwara from May 2021 to May 2022. Diagnosis of thyroid disorder has been made according to the criteria recommended by the European thyroid association guidelines-2013. The result has been compared with age and gender matched 120 euthyroid subjects acting as controls. Detailed history of participants including age, history of any medications, addictions has been taken. Written consent from all the subjects has been obtained for the study.

Results The mean serum FT3 level was found to be slightly decreased in Subclinical hypothyroid subjects (group I) as compared to healthy controls (group II) but the difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). The mean serum FT4 level was found to be slightly decreased in Subclinical hypothyroid subjects (group I) as compared to healthy controls (group II) but the difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). A highly significant increase (p<0.0001) in mean serum TSH level has been observed in subclinical hypothyroid subjects (group-I) when compared to controls (group- II). In subclinical hypothyroid subjects, mean serum ceruloplasmin levels were found to be significantly lower in comparison to healthy subjects (p<0.0001).

Conclusions The overall findings of the present study thus confirm that serum Apelin level is significantly higher in subclinical hypothyroid subjects and serum ceruloplasmin level is significantly lower in the subclinical hypothyroid subjects. However, further experimental and observational studies are needed to illustrate the role of serum ceruloplasmin and serum apelin in subclinical hypothyroidism.