Unravelling Thyroid Dysfunction in Rheumatoid Arthritis: History Matters

February 2017 in “ International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases ”

Joseph Anoop, Francis Geetha, Idiculla Jyothi, Rekha Pradeep, Vineeta Shobha

thyroid dysfunction hypothyroidism hair loss anti-thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies antiTPO thyroid issues

TLDR Thorough history taking is crucial for diagnosing hypothyroidism in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and analyze related symptoms. Conducted on 100 RA patients at St John's Medical College, it found that 22 patients had thyroid dysfunction, with hypothyroidism being the most common. Fatigue and hair loss were frequent symptoms, but only weight gain and cold intolerance were statistically significant predictors of hypothyroidism. Additionally, 32 patients tested positive for anti-thyroid peroxidase (antiTPO) autoantibodies. The study concluded that taking a detailed patient history, focusing on weight gain and cold intolerance, was essential for the timely diagnosis of hypothyroidism in RA patients.

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