Evaluation of Thyroid Dysfunction among Libyan Patients with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

Thyroid disorders are more common in people with diabetes compared to the general population. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid disorders in Libyan patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the association between thyroid dysfunction and T2DM parameters. The current study included a total of 50 participants: 40 with T2DM, and 10 healthy volunteers. They were divided into three groups: G1 (10 healthy controls), G2 (30 patients with T2DM [DM]), and group 3 [10 patients with T2DM and thyroid dysfunction (DM+TD)]. The average age of control and patients was 33.1±10.9 years and 55.3±12.8 years, respectively. The diabetes profile (FBS, RBS, and HbA1c), and thyroid profile (TSH, FT3, and FT4) of each participant were assessed. The levels of FBG, RBS, and HbA1c showed a highly significant (P=0.000) increase in the DM and DM+TD groups compared to the healthy control group. Additionally, the findings indicated that the majority of the participants with diabetes (75%) had normal thyroid function, while 25% had thyroid disorders., Among the patients with thyroid disorders, 10% had subclinical hypothyroidism, 7.5% nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NITS), and 7.5% exhibited high levels of TSH, FT4, and FT3.,. The prevalence of thyroid disorders was higher in women (22.5%) than in men (2.5%). None of the diabetic patients showed hyperthyroidism in this study. The study concluded that 25% of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had a thyroid disorder, and subclinical hypothyroidism was more prevalent. Also, the current study showed that female gender and family history of thyroid disorders are important risk factors.