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J Endocrinol Invest
. 2021 Jun 8.
doi: 10.1007/s40618-021-01599-0. Online ahead of print.
Thyroid dysfunction in COVID-19 patients
R Baldelli 1 , E Nicastri 2 , N Petrosillo 2 , L Marchioni 2 , A Gubbiotti 3 , I Sperduti 4 , P Di Giacinto 1 , L Rizza 1 , F Rota 1 , M Franco 5 , A Lania 6 , G Aimaretti 7 , G Ippolito 2 , P Zuppi 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 34101132
- DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01599-0
Abstract
Purpose: "Non thyroidal illness syndrome" (NTIS) or "euthyroid sick syndrome" (ESS) is a possible biochemical finding in euthyroid patients with severe diseases. It is characterized by a reduction of serum T3 (fT3), sometimes followed by reduction of serum T4 (fT4). The relationship between thyroid hormones levels and mortality is well known and different studies showed a direct association between NTIS and mortality. The sudden spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV 2) infection (COVID-19) and its high mortality become a world healthcare problem. Our aim in this paper was to investigate if patients affected by COVID-19 presented NTIS and the relationship between thyroid function and severity of this infection.
Methods: We evaluated the thyroid function in two different groups of consecutive patients affected by COVID-19 with respect to a control group of euthyroid patients. Group A included patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia while patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) for acute respiratory syndrome formed the group B. Group C identified the control group of euthyroid patients.
Results: Patients from group A and group B showed a statistically significant reduction in fT3 and TSH compared to group C. In group B, compared to group A, a further statistically significant reduction of fT3 and TSH was found.
Conclusions: COVID-19 in-patients can present NTIS. FT3 and TSH serum levels are lower in patients with more severe symptoms.
Keywords: COVID-19; Euthyroid sick syndrome; Non-thyroidal illness syndrome; SARS-CoV 2; Thyroid function; Thyroid hormones.