A study to evaluate the outcomes of hypothyroidism on serum potassium levels in an urban female population of Eastern India

Abstract

Background: The association between thyroid dysfunction and electrolyte imbalance may result in significant morbidity. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of hypothyroidism on serum potassium levels in an urban female population of Eastern India. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in a peripheral Medical College in West Bengal for 12 months after taking Institutional Ethical Clearance and informed consent of the participants. One hundred and fifty hypothyroid females were included in the study group and one hundred participants were included as a control. The participants of both groups were age-matched. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine 4 (FT4) levels were estimated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method and serum potassium was estimated by ion-selective electrode. Unpaired t-test and correlation coefficient were used for the analysis of data. Results: Hypokalemia was observed in 23 participants among the 150 hypothyroid females included in the study (15.33%). There was a significant difference in TSH (P < 0.00001), FT4 (P < 0.00001), and potassium levels (P = 0.000031) between the study and control groups. Serum potassium levels were strongly negatively correlated with TSH levels (r = −0.7356, P < 0.00001), the R2 value of 54.11%, and positively correlated with FT4 levels (r = 0.224, P = 0.005859). Conclusions: 15.33% of hypothyroid females included in the study had hypokalemia and serum potassium levels were significantly less in hypothyroid females as compared to euthyroid controls and serum potassium levels were negatively correlated with TSH levels. Serum electrolyte estimation may be of considerable importance in the management of hypothyroid individuals and needs to be considered and may help to prevent further possible complications.