Assessment of Pulmonary Function Tests in Patients with Hypothyroidism.
Ann Afr Med 2025 Sep 09. [Online ahead of print]

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Hypothyroid patients often complain of shortness of breath, fatigue, and exercise intolerance. Both inspiratory and expiratory muscles' weakness is present, and the impairment of pulmonary function may be initiated at the subclinical stage of hypothyroidism. Hence, this study aimed to assess the pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in hypothyroid patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken on patients attending the medicine outpatient department and indoor, in the Department of Medicine at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, from May 2023 to June 2024. Thyroid profile was estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PFTs (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1], forced vital capacity [FVC], and FEV1/FVC) were assessed by spirometry. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0). Descriptive analysis was done for almost all variables along with t-test and Chi-square test wherever applicable for finding a significant difference using P value. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the correlation between the variables.

RESULTS

The study was conducted on 136 patients, of whom 26% were male and 74% were female. In this study, the mean thyroid-stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine (T3), and free thyroxine (T4) levels were 19.6 ± 34.7 μIU/ml, 1.1 ± 0.794 ng/ml, and 2.9 ± 2.47 ng/ml, respectively. Spirometry results revealed a predominant restrictive pattern (75.74%). Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) had a mean value of 5.89 ± 1.91 L/min. This low level of PEFR suggests restrictive lung disease. Correlation analyses demonstrated a positive relationship between serum T4 levels with FVC (P = 0.006) and serum T3 level with PEFR (P = 0.041), indicating lower T3 and T4 levels associated with restrictive lung disease.

CONCLUSION

Pulmonary function tests can be affected in hypothyroidism with increased risk of restrictive lung disease.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Laha NDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Prasad MKDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Mishra BDepartment of TB and Chest, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Kumar DDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Guria RTDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Kumar SDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Deep UDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Prasad MLDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Sinha RDepartment of Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Sinha MBKDepartment of Physiology, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Chaudhuri PKDepartment of Pediatrics, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

fre eng

PubMed ID

40923357