Background: Controversy about the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients has been reported. As no previous study
evaluated thyroid status in SLE Bahraini (BSLE) patients, so, the current study aimed
to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among those patients compared to
an age and sex matched healthy control group. Methods: Retrospective laboratory
data of the thyroid function in forty-three SLE Bahraini patients who were recently
diagnosed and fulfilling four criteria of the American College of Rheumatology
(ACR) criteria were evaluated. One hundred-fifty matched healthy controls were
selected from the general population laboratory records for thyroid function
screening or routine annual checkup. Results: The overall thyroid dysfunction among
BSLE patients was 32.5% VS 12.6% in the control group (P<0.002). The most
prevalent thyroid dysfunction in SLE patient was the subclinical form compared to the
control group, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly higher
(P<0.002) whereas, subclinical hyperthyroidism was insignificantly different.
Laboratory data did not reveal any overt thyroid dysfunction among patients and
controls. Conclusion: Subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly higher among
BSLE patients than in healthy controls. Physician during follow up of SLE patients
should be alert for the development of overt thyroid dysfunction in high risk group
especially the female gender.