Association between Thyroid Function and Insulin Resistance Indices in Korean Adolescents: Findings from the 2014–2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

Aim: This study investigated the sex-specific association between thyroid function and various insulin resistance (IR) indices, including noninsulin-based IR indices, in euthyroid adolescents. Methods: A total of 465 adolescents (aged 12–18 years; 255 boys and 210 girls) based on data from the 2014–2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Serum thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) and free thyroxine (fT4) were used to assess thyroid function, whereas the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI), glucose/insulin ratio (GIR), triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio were used to assess IR. The relationship between thyroid function and IR was analyzed using multiple linear regressions stratified by sex, considering obesity status. Results: The relationship between thyroid function and IR varied depending on sex and was more pronounced in the overweight/obesity subgroup for both boys and girls. In overweight and obese boys and girls, fT4 was significantly associated with HOMA-IR and QUICKI with conflicting association directions. TSH was also positively associated with the TyG index in both sexes. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the relationship between thyroid function and IR in adolescents might vary depending on sex, and the degree of association was significant in obese adolescents.