Evaluation of Thyroid Function in Obese Adults with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Attending Tanta University Hospital

Abstract
Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is considered, most common cause of end stage Liver disorder needing liver transplantation worldwide. NAFLD is considered the hepatic presentation of metabolic syndrome. The associa-tion between thyroid dysfunction and NAFLD has increasingly become a focus of research.
Aim of Study: Evaluation of thyroid function in obese adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease attending at Tanta University Hospitals from July 2017 to February 2018.
Patients and Method: In our study patients were classified into 2 groups first included 60 obese with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD) patients, second group included 60 obese non NAFLD patients recruited from endocrinology, diabetology and metabolism outpatient clinics and inpatient wards, Internal Medicine Department at Tanta University Hospitals. Serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free Thyroxine (FT4), Free Tri-iodiothyronine (FT3) by ELISA, Anti thyroid peroxidase (ANTI-TPO), Anti thyroglobulin (Tg Ab) and thyroid ultrasound were done for both groups for evaluation of thyroid function in obese adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease attending at Tanta University Hospitals from July 2017 to February 2018.
Results: TSH levels showed statistically significant dif-ference being higher within obese NAFLD group p=0.001 with mean values 2.72±0.77 in obese NAFLD group, 1.93± 0.66 in obese non-NAFLD group. Also FT4 levels showed statistically significant difference lower in obese NAFLD group p=0.006 with mean values 1.08±0.22 in obese NAFLD group, 1.25±0.42 in obese non-NAFLD group. As regard FT3 levels, ANTI-TPO levels, Tg Ab levels and thyroid ultrasound characters did not show statistically significant difference between the two groups.
Conclusion: We concluded that there was elevation in levels of TSH within the normal range in obese NAFLD group over obese non-NAFLD group. Also FT4 results was within normal range 0.8-1.8ng/dl with lower levels in obese NAFLD group than obese non-NAFLD we still need further research on large scale.