Study of thyroid function among COVID-19-affected and non-affected people during pre and post-vaccination

Abstract

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic with many long-ranging effects on the physiological balance of the human body. The impact of COVID-19 on the thyroid axis remains uncertain. Our aim was to assess the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection and its vaccination with thyroid hormones. Thirty laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-positive patients with no vaccination record, thirty COVID-19-negative patients with vaccination records, and ten healthy subjects were retrospectively, and cross-sectionally enrolled in this study. An ELISA assay was performed to evaluate thyroid function tests, including the total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). We found decreased levels of TT3, average or low plasma T4 levels, and standard or slightly decreased TSH levels in unvaccinated COVID-19-positive patients than in the healthy group, while the vaccinated COVID-19-negative group had normal thyroid hormone levels compared to controls. The correlation between TT3 and TSH levels gradually shifted from no association to a negative pattern in the unvaccinated COVID-19-positive group. Again, a highly significant negative correlation between TSH and TT3 was observed on days above 150, although a slight fluctuation was noted on day 90. This pilot study from Bangladesh shows that abnormalities in thyroid function can be observed during COVID-19 infection and after vaccination, which gradually recovers over time.