Relation between glycosylated hemoglobin and lipid and thyroid hormone among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh

BACKGROUND: The main objectives of this study were to: (1) Evaluate the levels of thyroid hormones and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among patients, (2) correlate between thyroid hormones and HbA1c and different types of lipids and HbA1c among diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review study was conducted at Department of Clinical Chemistry, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the period from August 2014 to December 2014, including 100 male and female patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 and excluding patients with DM type 1. These patients were admitted to the hospital in 2013. Biochemical laboratory results were retrieved from biochemistry laboratory database while age and sex of patients were retrieved from patient files. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software conducting frequency analysis and correlation test. RESULTS: The result showed increased mean levels of HbA1c (8.4%) and normal level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (4.5 mlU/L) and T4 (14.1 pmol/L). The results also showed a weak positive correlation between HbA1c and TSH (r = 0.212, P = 0.034) and insignificant correlation with thyroxin T4 (r = −0.018, P = 0.855). There was a weak positive correlation between HbA1c and total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (r = 0.258, P = 0.001), (r = 0.297, P = 0.003), respectively. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that increased blood glucose could trigger anterior pituitary gland to increase secretion of TSH, whereas there was no direct correlation between increased glycemic index and the rate of thyroxine secretion. Furthermore, it is concluded that there is an association between blood glucose and some lipid markers.