Frequency of hypothyroidism and factors affecting it in HIV-infected patients in Tehran, Iran [2004]

A wide spectrum of endocrine abnormalities including thyroid dysfunction has been observed in HIV-infected patients with different results. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of thyroid dysfunction and to identify factors affecting the development of hypothyroidism in HIV-infected patients. Free T4, FT3, TSH, and thyroglobulin levels of 88 HIV-infected patients receiving care at UT counseling center for Behavioral Disorders in Tehran, an out patient referral center, were measured and data on their age, sex, body weight, BMI, history of opium and injection addictions, duration of HIV infection, disease stage, history of opportunistic infection or malignancy, CD4 cell count, antiretroviral treatment with antiretroviral drugs [HAART], receipt of other drugs [TMP-SMX, antituberculosis drugs, and steroids], and hepatitis C virus Co-infection were collected. Inclusion of the subjects was simply random. 17% of subjects had hypothyroidism; 1.1% had overt hypothyroidism; 2.3% subclinical hypothyroidism and 13.6% had low FT4 levels. The multivariate analysis showed that none of the studied factors were associated with the development of hypothyroidism. As none of the above-mentioned factors are not associated with the development of hypothyroidism, hypothyroidism should be considered in HIV-infected patients