Are thyroid functions affected in children diagnosed with COVID-19?

Year 2021, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 257 - 261, 21.05.2021

Kamil Yılmaz , Edip Unal

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.891646

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Introduction: In December 2019, a novel type of coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in China and started to spread rapidly. It is unclear whether the thyroid gland is affected in patients with COVID-19. We aimed to investigate the changes in thyroid function in pediatric patients with COVID-19.
Methods: This study enrolled 79 patients aged 0-18 years with confirmed COVID-19 and the control group consisted of 57 healthy children. All patients thyroid function tests and acute phase reactants were studied.
Results: The median age was 132 months in the patient group and 108 months in the control group. TSH level was lower in the COVID-19 patients compared to the controls although the difference did not statistical significance (p=0.051). Free T3 level was significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group (p<0.001). All patients with COVID-19 had normal TSH levels and fT3 was lower in 7 (8.8%) of 79 patients. Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between fT3 level and CRP, procalcitonin levels. No significant correlation was found between disease severity and thyroid hormone levels.
Conclusion: as far as we know, our study is the first to evaluate thyroid functions in children with COVID-19. As in many other severe disease states, ESS may develop in COVID-19. It can be concluded that the pituitary-thyroid axis is not severely affected in pediatric patients COVID-19, especially in those with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic disease. It should be remembered that the disease course may be more severe particularly in patients who develop ESS.

Keywords

COVID 19, euthyroid sick syndrome, fT3, thyroid

Thanks

We also thanks Velat Sen for his support.

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