ABSTRACT
Background: A new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2;SARS-CoV-2) infection began to spread in China, in early December 2019 and has rapidly spread around the globe. While its effects on respiratory symptoms are well recognized, but its effect on thyroid function test is still unclear. We initiated this study with the aim of comparison of thyroid function of Covid-19 affected individuals with that of unaffected individuals. Methods: Clinical examination, laboratory investigation and computed tomography study (CT severity score) of 50 patients with RT-PCR confirmed covid-19 infection who were tested for thyroid function test during their course of hospitalization in covid positive ward in the department of medicine. Other 50 individual who were admitted in covid negative section of the hospital with acute respiratory symptoms during the same period and were found RTPCR negative were also included in the study as control group. Thyroid profile of these two groups were analysed and compared to each other. Result: During the course of COVID-19, of the patients with COVID-19, 74% (37/50) had more-than normal TSH levels, with a p value of < 0.001. As compared with non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients with the serum TSH levels of the patients with COVID-19 were significantly higher. Conclusion: This supports the effects of SARS-Cov2 on Thyroid gland, thus proving the postulate that COVID19 may be inducing hypothyroidism which is majorly subclinical. None of the patients received thyroid hormone replacement therapy during the course of our study.