The effect of helicobacter pylori infection on thyroid function tests in diabetic patients and its relationship with autoimmune thyroiditis
Sena Yazıcı Alcan1, Arzu Cennet Işık2, Gizem Geçmez3, Banu Boyuk2, Özcan Keskin21Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Sancaktepe Şehit Prof. Dr. İlhan Varank Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye2Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye
3Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Bakırköy Dr.Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye
INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to show the effect of Helicobacter pylori presence on thyroid function tests and its relationship with autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) with dyspeptic complaints.
METHODS: Our randomized and retrospective study was planned with 136 Type 2 patients with DM who were followed up from our gastroenterology outpatient clinic and diabetes unit between January 2019 and January 2020. Biopsy samples of patients undergoing gastroscopy due to dyspepsia are evaluated pathologically. The relationship between the presence of H. pylori and autoimmune thyroiditis is investigated by looking at demographic and laboratory findings and thyroid function tests.
RESULTS: 136 diabetic patients between the ages of 31–85, with a mean age of 60.03±9.82 years, 43 of whom male (31.6%) and 93 female (68.4%), were considered. H. pylori positivity was detected in 41.9% (n=57) of the cases. In H. pylori positive cases, the body mass index (BMI) value was found to be significantly higher (p<0.01). There was no significant relationship between H. pylori positivity and thyroid function test level or gender (p>0.05). In addition, gastroesophageal reflux and atrophy were higher in patients with H. pylori (p=0.001; p<0.01). The ODDS ratio of the presence of atrophy in anti-TPO positive cases was 5,409 (95% CI: 1,962–14,900) and no relationship was found between Anti-TPO positivity and H. pylori positivity (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although H. pylori positivity is common in Type 2 DM patients, no relationship was found between thyroid function test level and anti-TPO positivity (autoimmune thyroiditis). Meanwhile, the BMI value, acid reflux, and gastric atrophy were found to be more common in case of H. pylori positivity and autoimmune thyroiditis to be associated with atrophic gastritis. It can thus be recommended for obese, diabetic patients with dyspeptic mellitus disease to be evaluated in terms of thyroid function.
Manuscript Language: English