Does systemic sclerosis affect thyroid functions? A study upholding association

Objective to study the association of clinical and subclinical thyroid dysfunction in patients of systemic sclerosis and compare with age and sex matched controls without systemic sclerosis. methods this hospital-based study involved 56 patients of systemic sclerosis and 300 age and sex matched controls without systemic sclerosis. thyroid function tests,such as thyroid-stimulating hormone (tsh),free tri-iodothyronine (t3),free thyroxine (t4),were advised in all cases,and anti thyroid peroxidase (anti-tpo) antibody,thyroid gland ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration cytology in selected patients only. results abnormal thyroid functions were found in 37.5% cases compared to 18.7% in control group,and 26.78% of cases had hypothyroidism compared to 16.7% among the controls. 21.4% patients among cases had subclinical hypothyroidism (sch) compared to 13.33% among controls. conclusion thyroid dysfunctions are common in systemic sclerosis and the same should be evaluated as routine clinical profiling of patients with systemic sclerosis.