Publication:

Relationship between thyroid function and ICU mortality (sick euthyroid syndrome)

Background Sick euthyroid syndrome refers to alterations that occur in thyroid hormone levels in response to any critical illness like sepsis, ARDS, patients on mechanical ventilation and also any ICU patients. This study aimed at the relationship between thyroid hormone level changes and critical illness in ICU patients and predict the mortality based on thyroid hormone levels.

Methods A prospective study was designed to carry out in intensive care unit (ICU), Institute of internal medicine, Rajiv Gandhi government general hospital, Chennai for six months from May to August 2015. A total of 40 patients were selected who fulfilled the selection criteria.

Results APACHE II scores were calculated for all the 40 patients to assess whether thyroid function tests could independently predict the outcome of the patients. Again, the thyroid profile was compared with APACHE II scores in predicting the outcome. Values showed statistically significance.

Conclusions Thyroid profile can be used as an independent factor in predicting the outcome of the patients. Thyroid profile can also increase the sensitivity of APACHE II score in predicting the outcome.