Prevalence of thyroid disorders and associated risk factors with various glycemic status in North China

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether abnormal glycemic status (diabetes and prediabetes) is associated with increased prevalence of thyroid disorders in North China. A total of 10,860 adult participants were enrolled based on the REACTION study [Ning G. J Diabetes. 2012;4(2):172-173]. They were divided into three groups by glucose levels according to the American Diabetes Association 2010 criteria. The basic characteristics of the study population were analyzed. The prevalence and effects of thyroid disorders, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, and risk factors of thyroid disorders, among the study groups, were investigated. The study population comprised 2994 diabetic patients (27.57%) and 6386 prediabetic patients (58.80%), with the mean age of 55.37 +/- 8.82 years. Compared to those subjects with normal glucose status (8.11%), thyroid disorders were more common in the diabetic (15.97%) and prediabetic patients (13.48%) (P < 0.001). Impacts of female gender related to the presence of thyroid disorders were even more profound in the diabetic patients than in those with other glucose status. The results indicate that screening for thyroid disorders among patients with diabetes or prediabetes should be regularly performed, especially in females.