Evaluation of Triglyceride-Glucose Index in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Objectives: Recently, researchers have used the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index for the possibility of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Although altered glucose and lipid metabolism have been observed in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), the impact of autoimmune factors on the TyG index in euthyroid HT patients has not been sufficiently studied. This research sought to assess the effects of autoimmunity on the TyG index in euthyroid HT patients. Materials and Methods: Our research was planned as a retrospective, single-center, observational study. The study included 50 participants diagnosed with HT and 52 control groups without thyroid disease, who were followed up in the internal medicine service and outpatient clinic. Results: The patient group had a mean age of 44.54±13.72 years, while the control group had a mean age of 33.5±13.17 years. The HT group was significantly older (p<0.001). No meaningful distinctions were detected regarding the gender distribution between the groups (p=0.357). In the HT group, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level was 137.8±41.5 mg/dL, and the non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level was 160.5±45.2 mg/dL, both of which were significantly higher compared to the control group (LDL: p=0.046, non-HDL: p=0.029). The TyG index showed similar results between the two groups, with measurements of 8.6±1.2 in the HT group and 8.4±1.3 in the control group (p=0.121). Conclusion: In contrast to previous studies, our study focused on the impact of autoimmunity on TyG index changes in patients with euthyroid HT, taking into account the relationship with thyroid hormones. Accordingly, a similar correlation was detected between the TyG index and age in patients with and without HT. As a result, we found that the TyG index did not change due to autoimmunity in patients with euthyroid HT.