Study of thyroid hormone status in severely malnourished children

Background: In 2022 globally, nearly half of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Reductive adaptation, the body’s physiological response to energy deficiency, can significantly impact various metabolic processes, including thyroid function immaturity. The present study has been conducted to study thyroid dysfunction in severe acute malnutrition (SAM); and its correlation with plasma protein levels. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study at RNT medical college, Udaipur, involved 100 children (group A) with SAM and 100 non-SAM children (group B). Demographic, clinical, and anthropometric data were collected. Serum levels of thyroid hormones (FT3, FT4 and TSH) and total protein were measured and analyzed for correlations and differences. Results: Mean age of presentation of malnourished children was 16.14±9.16 months with male to female ratio 1.17:1. The mean value of FT3, FT4 and TSH in the group A was 2.39±1.50 pg/ml, 0.83±0.57ng/dl and 1.57±1.93 mIU/ml while of the group B was 4.55±1.88 pg/ml, 1.26±0.66 ng/dl and 2.12±1.17 mIU/ml respectively. The mean serum total protein was 5.58±0.93 g/dl in group A and 6.63±0.75 g/dl in group B. A significant correlation was found between FT3, FT4, and TSH levels with serum total protein levels. Conclusions: In our study, we found that children with SAM exhibited lower levels of thyroid hormone compared to children with non-SAM. Significant correlation (p<0.05) was noted between thyroid hormone levels and serum total protein levels.