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Original Research

Assessment of serum cortisol and thyrotropin correlation in euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroid subjects

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Pages 263-269 | Received 07 May 2021, Accepted 12 Aug 2021, Published online: 17 Aug 2021
 

ABSTRACT

Background: The upper limit of the normal range for TSH concentration, used to diagnose subclinical hypothyroidism, is controversial. This study was conducted to examine the association of cortisol and thyrotropin in subjects with TSH<10 mIU/L.

Research design and methods

This cross-sectional study was performed on healthy volunteers and those who had been referred with a diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH<10 mIU/L). Subjects with the age of 18-35 years were enrolled. The sera were analyzed for Cortisol, FT4, FT3, TSH, Ani-TPO, and Anti-Tg.

Results

Final sample of 36 in group A (TSH<2.5), 45 in group B (TSH: 2.5–4.2), and 71 in group C (TSH: 4.3–10) were included. Cortisol levels were significantly different in the three groups, the lowest for the A group and higher for the C group, and the two-to-two difference in the groups was also significant (p < 0.001). There was a positive and significant correlation between cortisol levels with TSH (r = 0.740; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

There was a potential link between TSH and serum cortisol in young people so that with an increase in TSH from 2.5, the serum cortisol level also increases, but this positive correlation in TSH ≤2.5 was not observed.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the participants in this study.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (grant number: 1805003).

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