Prospective study of thyroid functions in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta in Alexandria University MS clinic

Abstract

Background: The incidence of thyroid dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on interferon (as a disease-modifying line) has been reported in many studies performed on patients already on interferon therapy. Our study adopted a prospective follow-up of the thyroid profile in those patients newly starting interferon beta therapy over 1 year trying to find a correlation between the start of therapy and the occurrence of this dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in MS patients before and 1 year after of interferon beta. Methods: A prospective cohort study on 48 MS patients newly receiving interferon beta therapy through MS clinic were subjected to assessment of thyroid profile including serum TSH, free T3, and T4 at the start of treatment; they were followed-up at 6- and 12-month intervals after the start of therapy. Results and conclusion: There was a statistically significant increase in serum-free T3 levels in those treated with interferon beta therapy in a follow-up of 1 year. Our work also showed a decrease in serum-free T4 levels without statistical significance. TSH levels showed a tendency towards increase without statistical significance.