Estimation of thyroid hormones, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody, and iron profile in Libyan patients with Hashimoto's disease: A case-control study

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a common autoimmune disorder that primarily affects women and is 7-10 times more common in women than in men. The development of this disorder is influenced by genetic predisposition, X-chromosomal inactivation patterns influenced by environmental variables, and microbiome structure, ultimately leading to an imbalance in self-tolerance mechanisms. Ninety volunteers participated in this case-control study and were divided into two groups: 45 served as controls and 45 were age- and sex-matched volunteers diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Various automated analysis techniques were used to obtain the results, which were as follows: TSH, TIBC, UIBC, and TSAT levels increased in HP compared to healthy individuals, while T3, T4, Ferritin, and Iron levels decreased in HP compared to healthy individuals. (Iron to TSH r = .391**), (T4 to T3 r = .424**), (TSH to anti-TPO r = .336*), (T3 to anti-TPO r = .298*), (TSH to TS r = .381**), (T4 to UIBC r = .501**) and (T3 to UIBC r = .676**) were positively correlated. In contrast, a negative correlation was found between Total T4 and Anti-TPO (r = -.340*) during the present study. These findings are consistent with the established understanding of HT and suggest its impact on possible disruptions in thyroid hormone production and iron metabolism. The positive correlations between TSH and anti-TPO antibodies further solidify the autoimmune nature of HT.