TABLE 2.
Baseline characteristics of patients with normal thyroid function tests and those with non‐thyroidal illness syndrome
|
Patients with normal TFTs |
Patients with NTIS |
p‐value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 305 | 27 | ‐‐‐ |
| TSH (mIU/L) | 1.20 (0.87–1.70) | 0.91 (0.56–1.60) | .017 |
| fT4 (pmol/L) | 18 (16–19) | 16 (14–17) | <.001 |
| fT3 (pmol/L) | 4.2 (3.8–4.7) | 2.9 (2.5–3.0) | <.001 |
| fT3/fT4 ratio | 0.237 (0.214–0.271) | 0.172 (0.140–0.200) | <.001 |
| Age (years) | 53 (37–63) | 62 (50–70) | .002 |
| Male | 141 (46.2%) | 12 (44.4%) | .858 |
| Smoking | 46/266 (17.3%) | 3/23 (13.0%) | .776 |
| Obesity | 17 (5.6%) | 1 (3.7%) | .999 |
| Charlson comorbidity index | |||
| 0 | 232 (76.1%) | 19 (70.4%) | .158 |
| 1 | 45 (14.8%) | 2 (7.4%) | |
| 2 | 16 (5.2%) | 4 (14.8%) | |
| ≥3 | 12 (3.9%) | 2 (7.4%) | |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Hypertension | 72 (23.6%) | 9 (33.3%) | .259 |
| Diabetes | 45 (14.8%) | 6 (22.2%) | .302 |
| IHD/CHF | 16 (52.5%) | 2 (7.4%) | .649 |
| Stroke/TIA | 9 (3.0%) | 0 (0%) | .999 |
| Malignancy | 11 (3.6%) | 3 (11.1%) | .095 |
| Pulmonary disease | 11 (3.6%) | 1 (3.7%) | .999 |
| Symptomatology | |||
| Symptomatic | 213 (69.8%) | 23 (85.2%) | .203 |
| Fever | 96 (31.5%) | 15 (55.6%) | .011 |
| Myalgia | 32 (10.5%) | 5 (18.5%) | .204 |
| Malaise | 40 (13.1%) | 8 (29.6%) | .019 |
| Rhinorrhoea | 40 (13.1%) | 5 (18.5%) | .432 |
| Cough | 117 (38.4%) | 12 (44.4%) | .534 |
| Shortness of breath | 16 (5.2%) | 5 (18.5%) | .007 |
| Sore throat | 85 (27.9%) | 6 (22.2%) | .529 |
| Headache | 29 (9.5%) | 2 (7.4%) | .999 |
| Nausea/vomiting | 9 (3.0%) | 1 (3.7%) | .577 |
| Diarrhoea | 43 (14.1%) | 3 (11.1%) | .999 |
| Anosmia and/or ageusia | 38 (12.5%) | 2 (7.4%) | .756 |
| Baseline clinical severity | |||
| Mild | 238 (78.0%) | 13 (85.2%) | <.001 |
| Moderate | 58 (19.0%) | 11 (40.7%) | |
| Severe | 9 (3.0%) | 3 (11.1%) | |
| Baseline laboratory parameters | |||
| Cycle threshold value | 25.50 (18.56–31.39) | 22.20 (17.00–28.06) | .125 |
| Abnormal white blood cell count | 62 (20.3%) | 11 (40.7%) | .014 |
| Abnormal neutrophil count | 48 (15.7%) | 5 (18.5%) | .705 |
| Lymphopenia | 108 (35.4%) | 19 (70.4%) | <.001 |
| Thrombocytopenia | 59 (19.3%) | 6 (22.2%) | .718 |
| eGFR <60 ml/min | 15 (4.9%) | 4 (14.8%) | .058 |
| Elevated alanine aminotransferase | 46 (15.1%) | 2 (7.4%) | .396 |
| Elevated aspartate aminotransferase | 78 (25.6%) | 9 (33.3%) | .380 |
| Elevated lactate dehydrogenase | 105 (34.4%) | 21 (77.8%) | <.001 |
| Elevated creatine kinase | 33 (10.8%) | 3 (11.1%) | .999 |
| Elevated troponin T | 1 (0.3%) | 0 (0%) | .999 |
| Elevated C‐reactive protein | 124 (40.7%) | 22 (81.5%) | <.001 |
| Anti‐TPO/Tg positivity | 65/293 (22.2%) | 6/26 (23.1%) | .916 |
Data presented as number (percentage) or median (interquartile range) as appropriate.
Values reaching statistical significance are in bold.
Abbreviations: CHF, congestive heart failure; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; fT3, free triiodothyronine; fT4, free thyroxine; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; NTIS, non‐thyroidal illness syndrome; Tg, thyroglobulin; TIA, transient ischaemic attack; TPO, thyroid peroxidase; TSH, thyroid‐stimulating hormone.