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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 772 million people globally. While lung damage is the major contributor to the morbidity and mortality of this disease, the involvement of multiple organs, including the endocrine glands, has been reported. This Review aims to provide an updated summary of evidence regarding COVID-19 and thyroid dysfunction, incorporating highlights of recent advances in the field, particularly in relation to long COVID and COVID-19 vaccination. Since subacute thyroiditis following COVID-19 was first reported in May 2020, thyroid dysfunction associated with COVID-19 has been increasingly recognized, secondary to direct and indirect effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Here, we summarize the epidemiological evidence, pattern and clinical course of thyroid dysfunction following COVID-19 and examine radiological, molecular and histological evidence of thyroid involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Beyond acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is also timely to examine the course and implication of thyroid dysfunction in the context of long COVID owing to the large population of survivors of COVID-19 worldwide. This Review also analyses the latest evidence on the relationship between the therapeutics and vaccination for COVID-19 and thyroid dysfunction. To conclude, evidence-based practice recommendations for thyroid function testing during and following COVID-19 and concerning COVID-19 vaccination are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Tak Wai Lui
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi Ho Lee
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yu Cho Woo
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ivan Fan Ngai Hung
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Karen Siu Ling Lam
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Maiden MJ, Forehan S. The use of triiodothyronine during critical illness. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2024; 27:163-167. [PMID: 38170688 DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000001012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Thyroid hormone physiology changes during critical illness. Circulating concentration of triiodothyronine (T3), the active form of thyroid hormone decreases. It has long been uncertain whether this represents a pathologic change or if it is an adaptive phenomenon. Controlled clinical trials have been required to understand whether replacing and restoring serum T3 levels is therapeutic. RECENT FINDINGS Clinical trials of T3 have recently been proposed with some completed. These have been conducted in patients with sepsis, myocardial infarction, infants undergoing cardiac surgery, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Of the completed trials, T3 administration restored serum concentrations, but was not accompanied by significant clinical benefit. Importantly, restoring serum T3 levels did not cause any adverse effects. SUMMARY If T3 is to be considered a therapeutic target in critical illness, further studies should consider the stage of disease it is administered, and whether there are other surrogate measures to assess adequacy of hormone replacement over and above serum T3 concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Maiden
- Intensive Care Unit, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Department of Critical Care, The University of Melbourne
| | - Simon Forehan
- Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia
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Patel D, Naik D, Kamalanathan S, Tamilarasu K, Sahoo J, Roy A, Merugu C, Suryadevara V. Thyroid Function Abnormalities and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study. Horm Metab Res 2023; 55:169-175. [PMID: 36848927 DOI: 10.1055/a-2014-4634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid gland can be affected by the COVID-19 infection. The pattern of thyroid function abnormality reported in COVID-19 is variable; in addition, some drugs used in COVID-19 patients like glucocorticoids and heparin can affect the thyroid function tests (TFT). We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study of thyroid function abnormalities with thyroid autoimmune profile in COVID-19 patients with varying severity from November 2020 to June 2021. Serum FT4, FT3, TSH, anti-TPO, and anti-Tg antibodies were measured before the initiation of treatment with steroids and anti-coagulants. A total of 271 COVID-19 patients were included in the study, of which 27 were asymptomatic and remaining 158, 39, and 47 were classified to mild, moderate and severe categories, respectively, according to MoHFW, India criteria. Their mean age was 49±17 years and 64.9% were males. Abnormal TFT was present in 37.2% (101/271) patients. Low FT3, low FT4, and low TSH were present in 21.03%, 15.9% and 4.5% of patients, respectively. Pattern corresponding to sick euthyroid syndrome was the most common. Both mean FT3 and FT3/FT4 ratio decreased with increasing severity of COVID-19 illness (p=0.001). In multivariate analysis, low FT3 was associated with increased risk of mortality (OR 12.36, 95% CI: 1.23-124.19; p=0.033). Thyroid autoantibodies were positive in 58 (27.14%) patients; but it was not associated with any thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid function abnormality is common among COVID-19 patients. Both low FT3 and FT3/FT4 ratio are indicators of disease severity while low FT3 is a prognostic marker of COVID-19 associated mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Patel
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Dukhabandhu Naik
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Sadishkumar Kamalanathan
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Kadhiravan Tamilarasu
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Jayaprakash Sahoo
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Ayan Roy
- Endocrinology and Metabolism, All India Institute of Medical Sciences - Kalyani, Kalyani, India
| | - Chandhana Merugu
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Varun Suryadevara
- Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
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Li Z, Hou P, Mu S, Wang R, Miao H, Feng M, Wang H, Zhang W, Chen Y, Feng T, Wang S, Fang Y. Thyroxine changes in COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1089190. [PMID: 36860369 PMCID: PMC9969987 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1089190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE COVID-19 infection may affect thyroid function. However, changes in thyroid function in COVID-19 patients have not been well described. This systematic review and meta-analysis assess thyroxine levels in COVID-19 patients, compared with non-COVID-19 pneumonia and healthy cohorts during the COVID-19 epidemic. METHODS A search was performed in English and Chinese databases from inception to August 1, 2022. The primary analysis assessed thyroid function in COVID-19 patients, comparing non-COVID-19 pneumonia and healthy cohorts. Secondary outcomes included different severity and prognoses of COVID-19 patients. RESULTS A total of 5873 patients were enrolled in the study. The pooled estimates of TSH and FT3 were significantly lower in patients with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 pneumonia than in the healthy cohort (P < 0.001), whereas FT4 were significantly higher (P < 0.001). Patients with the non-severe COVID-19 showed significant higher in TSH levels than the severe (I2 = 89.9%, P = 0.002) and FT3 (I2 = 91.9%, P < 0.001). Standard mean differences (SMD) of TSH, FT3, and FT4 levels of survivors and non-survivors were 0.29 (P= 0.006), 1.11 (P < 0.001), and 0.22 (P < 0.001). For ICU patients, the survivors had significantly higher FT4 (SMD=0.47, P=0.003) and FT3 (SMD=0.51, P=0.001) than non-survivors. CONCLUSIONS Compared with the healthy cohort, COVID-19 patients showed decreased TSH and FT3 and increased FT4, similar to non-COVID-19 pneumonia. Thyroid function changes were related to the severity of COVID-19. Thyroxine levels have clinical significance for prognosis evaluation, especially FT3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dongfang Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Pengwei Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shuwen Mu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Renzhi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Miao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - He Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wentai Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yihao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tianshun Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dongfang Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shousen Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yi Fang, ; Shousen Wang,
| | - Yi Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yi Fang, ; Shousen Wang,
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Rossetti CL, Cazarin J, Hecht F, Beltrão FEDL, Ferreira ACF, Fortunato RS, Ramos HE, de Carvalho DP. COVID-19 and thyroid function: What do we know so far? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1041676. [PMID: 36601011 PMCID: PMC9806267 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1041676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was characterized as a pandemic in March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is a respiratory syndrome that can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan dysfunction, and eventually death. Despite being considered a respiratory disease, it is known that other organs and systems can be affected in COVID-19, including the thyroid gland. Thyroid gland, as well as hypothalamus and pituitary, which regulate the functioning of most endocrine glands, express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the main protein that functions as a receptor to which SARS-CoV-2 binds to enter host cells. In addition, thyroid gland is extremely sensitive to changes in body homeostasis and metabolism. Immune system cells are targets for thyroid hormones and T3 and T4 modulate specific immune responses, including cell-mediated immunity, natural killer cell activity, the antiviral action of interferon (IFN) and proliferation of T- and B-lymphocytes. However, studies show that patients with controlled hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism do not have a higher prevalence of COVID-19, nor do they have a worse prognosis when infected with the virus. On the other hand, retrospective observational studies, prospective studies, and case reports published in the last two years reported abnormal thyroid function related to acute SARS-CoV-2 infection or even several weeks after its resolution. Indeed, a variety of thyroid disorders have been documented in COVID-19 patients, including non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS), subacute thyroiditis and thyrotoxicosis. In addition, thyroid disease has already been reported as a consequence of the administration of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Overall, the data revealed that abnormal thyroid function may occur during and in the convalescence post-COVID condition phase. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms are not completely understood, the evidence suggests that the "cytokine storm" is an important mediator in this context. Thus, future studies are needed to better investigate the pathophysiology of thyroid dysfunction induced by COVID-19 at both molecular and clinical levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Lüdke Rossetti
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliana Cazarin
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio Hecht
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabyan Esberard de Lima Beltrão
- Postgraduate Program in Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutrition, Center for Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Andrea Cláudia Freitas Ferreira
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Campus Duque de Caxias Professor Geraldo Cidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Soares Fortunato
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helton Estrela Ramos
- Department of Biorregulation, Health Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Helton Estrela Ramos,
| | - Denise Pires de Carvalho
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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