1Department of Biochemistry, Santosh Medical College & Hospital, Ghaziabad, India
2Department of Medicine, Santosh Medical College & Hospital, Ghaziabad, India
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global health problem and a leading cause of microvascular complications, including diabetic nephropathy. Microalbuminuria represents the earliest clinically detectable marker of renal involvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Thyroid hormones play an important role in glucose metabolism, endothelial function, and renal hemodynamics. Thyroid dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism, is frequently associated with T2DM and may contribute to increased urinary albumin excretion. However, the relationship between free thyroid hormone levels and microalbuminuria remains underexplored.
Aim: To assess the relationship between free thyroid hormone profile (fT3, fT4, and TSH) and microalbumin excretion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry at a tertiary care center. A total of 152 participants were included, comprising 76 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism and 76 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for HbA1c, serum fT3, fT4, TSH, and creatinine. Spot urine samples were assessed for microalbumin and creatinine, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Group comparisons were done using unpaired t-test or Mann–Whitney U test, and correlations were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Mean fT4 levels were significantly lower (11.89 ± 0.46 vs 16.46 ± 0.57 pmol/L; p<0.001) and TSH levels significantly higher (5.15 ± 0.52 vs 2.35 ± 0.19 mIU/L; p<0.001) in T2DM patients compared to controls, while fT3 levels were comparable. Mean urine ACR was significantly higher in T2DM patients (196.70 ± 82.35 vs 18.08 ± 16.20 mg/g; p<0.001), with microalbuminuria present in 80.3% of cases. Urine ACR showed a significant negative correlation with fT3 (r=−0.422, p<0.001) and fT4 (r=−0.487, p<0.001), and a positive correlation with TSH (r=0.395, p<0.001).
Conclusion: Altered thyroid function, particularly elevated TSH and reduced free thyroid hormone levels, is significantly associated with increased microalbumin excretion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Routine assessment of thyroid profile along with microalbuminuria screening may help in early identification of diabetic patients at higher risk of nephropathy.
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Microalbuminuria; Free thyroxine; Free triiodothyronine; Thyroid-stimulating hormone; Diabetic nephropathy.
How to cite this article: Gupta K, Gupta RN, Batra J, Kumar A. Relationship Between Free Thyroid Hormone Profile and Microalbumin Excretion in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(6s): 490-496; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.6s.73
Source of support: Nil
Conflict of interest: None