Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroiditis is an important extrahepatic association in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There have been reports of an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the onset or re-activation of autoimmune hypothyroidism. Therefore, we performed this prospective observational study of 42 patients with COVID-19 infection and a history of hepatitis C virus infection and thyroid disease with follow-up thyroid function and autoantibody testing. MATERIAL AND METHODS From April 2020 to October 2020, we performed a prospective observational study of patients with cured hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and documented thyroid disease who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 (confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection via reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCT] from the upper respiratory tract, both nasal and pharyngeal swabs). Evaluation at 1 and 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection included serum determination of antithyroid antibodies (anti-thyroglobulin [anti-Tg] and antithyroid peroxidase [ATPO]), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and evaluation of thyroid medication, with dose adjustment if required. RESULTS One-month follow-up showed that both patients with autoimmune thyroiditis as well as patients without antibodies had increased ATPO levels. Also, levels of TSH, fT3, and fT4 were significantly decreased. At 3-month follow-up, levels of ATPO were decreased in all patient groups and the levels of thyroid hormones increased to normal values. CONCLUSIONS This study supports previous reports of an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and thyroid dysfunction associated with thyroid autoantibodies. Thyroid function tests may be considered as part of the laboratory work-up in patients with COVID-19.
【초록키워드】 thyroid function, triiodothyronine, antibody, prospective observational study, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, nasal, HCV, observational study, Laboratory, polymerase chain reaction, serum, COVID-19 infection, autoantibodies, hepatitis C virus, swabs, Patient, hepatitis C, hormone, Autoimmune, Follow-up, virus infection, Thyroid, Thyroiditis, medication, disease, upper respiratory tract, association, Thyroid hormones, SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection, dose, Thyroid function tests, autoimmune thyroiditis, autoantibody, chronic hepatitis, peroxidase, thyroid disease, thyroxine, Chain Reaction, thyroid dysfunction, Support, dysfunction, Hypothyroidism, pharyngeal, TSH, polymerase chain, thyroid-stimulating hormone, performed, significantly, required, patient group, cured, infected with SARS-CoV-2, patients with COVID-19, thyroid function test, 【제목키워드】 Infection, Testing, Prospective, function, history, with COVID-19,