Determinants of Thyroid Dysfunction among Type 2 Diabetes Patients Attending Private Hospitals in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to capture the determinants of thyroid dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus at private hospitals in Dire-Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia. Various studies found that thyroid dysfunction is common in type 2 diabetes and it is associated with poor blood glucose control and chronic diabetic complications responsible for morbidity and mortality. However, only limited studies have assessed determinants of thyroid dysfunctions among type 2 diabetes in Ethiopia. MethodsUnmatched case-control study conducted in two private hospitals found in Dire Dawa town, between May - November 2021. A total of 92 type 2 diabetic patients with thyroid dysfunction as Cases and 183 type 2 diabetes patients with normal thyroid function as controls selected by purposive and systematic random sampling, respectively. Data collected by interview and using checklist, entered into SPSS version 22, and analyzed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis employed to identify determinants of thyroid dysfunction with AOR and 95%CI. Independent t-test computed to observe significant mean difference of continuous variables. Variables with P-value < 0.05 declared as significant. ResultFemale gender predominate 65.9% of participants (p= 0.02). The mean glycated hemoglobin level among cases was 10.32 ({+/-} 2.4 SD) and 9.249 ({+/-} 2.3 SD) among controls, with significant difference (p=0.001). Similarly, the mean LDL cholesterol among cases 116.92 {+/-}45.9 SD and control 102.34 {+/-}43.97SD showed significant difference (p=0.016). Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy, and ACEI/ARB also significantly associated with thyroid dysfunction (p< 0.05). ConclusionFemale gender, lower educational level, and duration of diabetes associated with thyroid dysfunction. Most patients in both groups had unacceptably elevated HgA1c which need to be addressed. Thus, screening for thyroid dysfunction, especially the female gender, needs to be done.