BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease are the two most prevalent endocrine disorders recognized in clinical practice in the twenty-first century. Diabetic patients with undiagnosed thyroid disorders are twice as likely to suffer from diabetic complications. The relationship between thyroid dysfunction and its risk factors in diabetic patients in Ethiopia is still being explored. We aimed to assess the magnitude, patterns, and associated factors of thyroid dysfunction in diabetic patients at Debre Markos Referral Hospital.

METHODS: The study involved 426 participants, selected using a systematic sampling procedure. Pregnant women, individuals with neck radiation exposure, and those who had undergone thyroid surgery were excluded. Measurements including weight, height, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triiodothyronine (T3),thyroxine(T4), thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH), total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were taken. Data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and exported to SPSS for analysis. Variables with a p-value of <0.25 in bivariable logistic regression were included in multivariate logistic regression. Variables with a p-value <0.05 in multivariate logistic regression were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Thyroid dysfunction was found in 102 (23.94%) of the respondents, with 29 (6.8%) diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and 73 (17.1%) with hypothyroidism. The majority of those with thyroid dysfunction (11.50%) had clinical hypothyroidism. Glycemic control, illness duration, blood cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly associated with thyroid dysfunction.

CONCLUSION: Thyroid problems were present in 25% of diabetic patients. Thyroid dysfunction was associated with poor glycemic control, long-term illness, high blood cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein levels.

KEYWORDS: Diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, diabetic complications