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Subject Area

Internal Medicine

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objectives To assess the association between the severity of chronic fatigue and hypothyroidism. Background Fatigue is often described as mainly physical and cognitive and emotional discomfort. Persistent tiredness and fatigue-related symptoms are common in many hypothyroidism individuals. Patients and methods This case–control study was carried out on overt hypothyroid and subclinical hypothyroid patients attending outpatient clinics and inpatient endocrinology clinics in Menoufia University Hospital. The participants were classified into two groups: group I (control): 48 patients with normal thyroid-function tests (euthyroid) and group II (cases): 45 patients with overt hypothyroid and subclinical hypothyroid patients (autoimmune hypothyroidism). Patients were subjected to full clinical examination such as weight, height, BMI, and waist and hip circumference, and laboratory investigations such as complete blood count, renal-function test, liver-function test, lipid profile, and thyroid profile. Their fatigue level was assessed by Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory. Results The cases had significantly higher body weight, BMI, and waist: hip ratio (P ≤ 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between FSS and each of thyroglobulin antibodies and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) (P = 0.005, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). The univariate linear-regression analysis showed that TPO, free thyroxin, and duration of illness were independently associated with the FSS. Conclusion Fatigue is prominent in patients with hypothyroidism. However, TPO, free thyroxin, and duration of illness were independently associated with higher FSS.

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