Evaluation of Thyroid Volume in Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Obese Patients

Objective: It is known that insulin resistance increases thyroid volume. In our study, we looked at whether thyroid volume differed between metabolically healthy obese and metabolically unhealthy obese patients, along with the relationship between thyroid volume and metabolic syndrome parameters.

Methods: Metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria were investigated in 116 obese female patients. Two groups were formed such as metabolically healthy obese and metabolically unhealthy obese. Biochemical parameters, thyroid volumes, and carotid intima-media thickness were measured. In addition, the patients were evaluated by grouping them into 2 according to the thyroid volume median value.

Results: When metabolically healthy obese and metabolically unhealthy obese groups were compared, in addition to the metabolic syndrome criteria; a statistically significance difference was realized between thyroid volume (P < .001), carotid intima-media thickness (P=.009), waist–hip ratio (P < .001), insulin resistance-homeostasis model (P < .001), insulin (P < .001) values. When the patients are divided into 2 according to the thyroid volume there was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of body mass index (P=.004), weight (P=.044), waist circumference (P=.004), carotid intima-media thickness (P=.032), uric acid (P=.006), insulin (P=.043), insulin resistance-homeostasis model (P=.041), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=.043). In the correlation test with thyroid volume, a significant correlation was found between the presence of metabolic syndrome, the number of metabolic syndrome criteria, systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure, carotid intima-media thickness, and uric acid.

Conclusion: The statistically significant relationship between thyroid volume and metabolic syndrome parameters indicates that increased thyroid volume in obese people may be a sign of metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome-related increased cardiovascular risk.

Cite this article as: Kandefer M, Akbaş EM. Evaluation of thyroid volume in metabolically healthy and unhealthy obese patients. Arch Basic Clin Res., 2023;5(2):271-278.