Effect of Parasite Infection on the Lipid Profile and Thyroid Hormones in thyroiditis patients

Abstract

This study investigated parasitic infection's effect on the thyroid gland's functions by hypo- or hyperthyroidism and inflammation by measuring some physiological and immunological indicators. 130 blood and stool samples were collected from both genders, including 80 samples from people with thyroid disorders and 50 samples from healthy people. Hormone levels and Lipid profile were estimated by using the Cobas e411 device. The general stool examination was conducted to confirm the presence of a parasitic infection and determine the type of parasites. As for the type of parasites found, the most affected were Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Blastocystis hominis, and the last parasite, Cryptosporidium. Hormonal tests, and depending on the level of hormones, it was found that 44 out of 80 patients showed a decrease in hormone levels, which were counted as hypothyroidism. In contrast, 36 showed an increase and were counted as hyperthyroidism. The results of cholesterol level, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein for hypothyroidism showed an increase in patients without parasites, higher than those parasitic infected compared to the control. Conclusion: This study showed that infection with a parasite affected the performance of the thyroid gland. Keywords: Parasites; Thyroid Disorders; Thyroid Hormones; Lipid Profile.