Hyperthyroid and hypothyroid status was strongly associated with gout and weakly associated with hyperuricaemia

• Published in: PloS one 2014-12, Vol.9 (12), p.e114579-e114579
• Main Authors: See, Lai-Chu, Kuo, Chang-Fu, Yu, Kuang-Hui, Luo, Shue-Fen, Chou, I-Jun, Ko, Yu-Shien, Chiou, Meng-Jiun, Liu, Jia-Rou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arthritis; Biology and Life Sciences; Comparative analysis; Data processing; Family medical history; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gout; Gout - epidemiology; Health promotion; Hospitals; Humans; Hyperthyroidism; Hyperthyroidism - physiopathology; Hyperuricemia; Hyperuricemia - epidemiology; Hypothyroidism; Hypothyroidism - physiopathology; Immunology; Kidney diseases; Laboratories; Male; Medical screening; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolic syndrome; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Prognosis; Public health; Regression analysis; Regression models; Rheumatism; Rheumatology; Risk Factors; Studies; Taiwan - epidemiology; Thyroid; Thyroid Function Tests; Thyroid gland; Thyroid-stimulating hormone; Thyrotropin; Uric acid
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114579

The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of hyperuricaemia and gout in people with hypothyroid or hyperthyroid status. This study analyzed data from individuals who participated in health screening programs at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in northern Taiwan (2000-2010). Participants were categorized as having euthyroid, hypothyroid, or hyperthyroid status according to their thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios (95% CI) for hyperuricaemia and gout in participants with thyroid dysfunction compared to euthyroid participants. A total of 87,813 (euthyroid, 83,502; hypothyroid, 1,460; hyperthyroid, 2,851) participants were included. The prevalence of hyperuricaemia was higher in hyperthyroid subjects (19.4%) than in euthyroid subjects (17.8%) but not in hypothyroid subjects (19.3%). The prevalence of gout was significantly higher in both hypothyroid (6.0%) and hyperthyroid (5.3%) subjects than in euthyroid subjects (4.3%). In men, hypothyroid or hyperthyroid status was not associated with hyperuricaemia. However, hypothyroid or hyperthyroid status was associated with ORs (95% CI) of 1.47 (1.10-1.97) and 1.37 (1.10-1.69), respectively, for gout. In women, hypothyroid status was not associated with hyperuricaemia or gout. However, hyperthyroid status was associated with ORs (95% CI) of 1.42 (1.24-1.62) for hyperuricaemia and 2.13 (1.58-2.87) for gout. Both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid status were significantly associated with gout and weakly associated with hyperuricaemia. A thyroid function test for gout patients may by warranted.