Thyroid Function as Surrogate Marker of Advancing HIV Infection and its Correlation with CD4 Count

Objective: In this study we evaluated thyroid function tests in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection at various stages of the illness and correlation of thyroid function tests with CD4 count in patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods: This study was done in total 100 HIV positive patients. Correlation between CD4 count and serum Free.T3, FreeT4 and serum TSH was studied. Then correlation between CD4 count and serum Free.T3, FreeT4 and serum TSH was studied in both group A and B separately.Pearson correlation coefficient/Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the association of various quantitative parameters. A p value of less than0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study depicts that there was a strong negative correlation between CD4 count (cu.mm) and STSH (uIU/ml) value and this correlation was statistically significant (rho = -0.74, p = less than0.001). In Group B the mean S.Free T3 is about 2.81 ? 0.58, the mean S.Free T4 is about 0.85 ? 0.18. The mean STSH is about 2.57 ? 1.51 and and the mean CD4 is about 395.62 ? 103.76. The study showed that there was a moderate positive correlation between CD4 Count (/cu.mm) and S.Free T3 (pg/mL) this correlation was statistically significant (rho = 0.35, p = 0.014 and ). There was a weak positive correlation between CD4 Count (cu.mm) and S.Free T4 (ng/mL), and this correlation was statistically significant (rho = 0.28, p= 0.048). There was a moderate negative correlation between CD4 Count (/cu.mm) and S.TSH (uIU/mL), and this correlation was statistically significant (rho = -0.35, p = 0.014). The study showed that thyroid dysfunction is more frequent in advanced stage (cdc stage- 3) as compared to early stage (stage 1, 2) and there is hypothyroid like stage that occurs in patients with HIV infection. Conclusion: The results showed that thyroid dysfunction is more frequent in female HIV positive patients as compared to male patients. The results also showed that thyroid dysfunction is more frequent in advanced stage (cdc stage 3) as compared to early stage(stage 0,1,2) and there is hypothyroid like stage that occurs in patients with HIV infection. From the findings of our study we can conclude that thyroid function test can be used as a surrogate marker of advancing HIV infection.