Comparison of Thyroid Dysfunction Prevalence in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Control Group

Background and Objectives: Thyroid dysfunction and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are autoimmune diseases that can cause many problems and complications in patients. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate thyroid disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Thyroid hormones, including TSH, T4, and T3, were measured by radioimmunoassay. Following that, thyroid antibodies, including Anti TG Ab and Anti TPO Ab, were measured by ELISA. The data were analyzed in SPSS software through the Chi-square test, Fisher test, and t-test. Results: The results of statistical analysis show that there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the prevalence of hypothyroidism. Also, the results of this study show that there is a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of Anti TG, Anti TPO, RF, Anti CCP and also in terms of Free T3. On the other hand, the results of statistical analysis for TSH and Free T4 showed that there was no significant difference between the case and control groups. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study indicate that there is a higher prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in RA patients, especially hypothyroidism. It is recommended that thyroid tests and examinations be included in the evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Further studies are also suggested to clarify the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid dysfunction