Prevalence and clinical correlates of abnormal glucose metabolism in young, first- episode and medication-naïve outpatients with major depressive disorder

•A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1289 young Chinese outpatients with first-episode medication-naïve major depressive disorder.•The prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism was 12.57%.•Higher TSH levels and more severe anxiety symptoms were associated with fasting glucose levels in young patients with first-episode medication-naïve major depressive disorder.•TSH could distinguish patients with abnormal glucose metabolism from those without.