Impact of diabetic ketoacidosis on thyroid function tests in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients.

The aim of current study was to evaluate the function of thyroid during diabetic acidosis, just after the treatment and two weeks after the treatment. This was the analytic study. The study subjects included 20 patients, aged 18-36 years old, with type1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. All subjects were evaluated for thyroid function tests such as triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), T3 resin uptake (T3RU), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), before treatment. After completing DKA treatment and two weeks after discharge, the thyroid function tests were repeated on the subjects and the results were analyzed using paired T-test, ANOVA or repeated measure and Pearson correlation tests. the current study showed that the mean levels of T3 and T4 were at hyperthyroid range and lower than normal before the treatment and significantly increased after the treatment (P<0.001). The serum levels of T3RU, FT4 and T4 were at the normal range, but their mean level increased significantly following the treatment progression (P<0.001).A significant relationship was observed among blood pH and the serum levels of FT3 and T3, before the treatment; the lower pH, the lower levels of FT3 and T3. The results of the current study showed that DKA causes euthyroid sick syndrome. The disease complications were resolved two weeks after treatment and the severity of acidosis was the main factor to decrease the level of active form of thyroid hormones such as FT3 and T3.