Comparative Analysis of MDA and Serum Minerals in Patients with Overt and Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a prevalent thyroid gland disorder where the gland fails to meet the body’s demand for thyroid hormones, specifically triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Hypothyroidism is categorized into overt (OH) and subclinical (SbH) forms. Overt hypothyroidism is characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and reduced T4 levels, whereas subclinical hypothyroidism presents with elevated TSH levels but normal T4 levels. The objective of this study is to assess the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and certain minerals—calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus—in patients diagnosed with SbH and OH. A total of 100 patients from index medical college Indore participated in the study, with half diagnosed with OH and the other half with SbH. The study also included 50 healthy controls of comparable age, and all three groups comprised 50% males and 50% females. Anthropometric examinations revealed significant (p<0.05) alterations in body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR) among the control, OH, and SbH groups. MDA levels were significantly elevated in hypothyroidism patients, with OH patients exhibiting the highest levels. SbH patients showed significantly (p<0.05) lower MDA levels compared to OH patients but significantly (p<0.05) higher levels compared to the control group. Levels of magnesium and phosphorus were significantly (p<0.05) elevated in OH patients compared to SbH patients and the control group, while the levels in SbH patients were not significantly different (p>0.05) from the control group. Conversely, serum calcium levels were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in OH patients compared to both SbH patients and controls, with no significant difference (p>0.05) between SbH patients and the control group. Additionally, MDA was found to be significantly (p<0.05). Correlated with WHpR in OH patients. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated the utility of MDA in prognosing OH and SbH with excellent sensitivity. In conclusion, the increase in MDA levels due to lipid peroxidation may contribute to the progression of subclinical hypothyroidism to overt hypothyroidism.