Biochemical changes in patients during hypothyroid phase after thyroidectomy

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is the most common long-term consequence after total thyroidectomy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the lipid profile and liver function in patients after hypothyroidism. Sixty patients who underwent a surgical operation to remove thyroid were included in this study, and thirty healthy subjects were used as a control. The study was conducted at Al-Sadr Medical City in Al-Najaf city, in Iraq, from October 2020 to March 2021. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was very high in patients at a hypothyroid stage after hypothyroidism. The results showed a significant increase in total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and the ratio of total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The study also revealed a significant increase in the liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) and a significant decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in patients with thyroidectomy compared to the control group. The correlation matrix revealed a strong positive correlation between TSH levels and total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, AST, ALT, and ALP. It was concluded that hypothyroidism, the major consequence of thyroidectomy, causes dysfunction in lipid metabolism and liver enzymes resulting in secondary hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction.