Background and Objective: The association between asthma and thyroid hormone fluctuations has been examined across multiple studies, with contradictory outcomes reported. Given the notable lack of evidence in this area, especially when it comes to the pediatric Iranian population, the present study was conducted to evaluate the association between asthma severity and thyroid function tests.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 children with persistent asthma referred to Amirkola Children's Hospital, Babol, Iran, in 2022. The diagnosis of asthma was established based on the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines and confirmed by a pediatric pulmonology subspecialist. Asthma severity was determined according to the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma Expert Panel Report 3, and patients were classified into three groups: mild (n=20), moderate (n=23), and severe (n=17). Thyroid function tests were assessed by measuring T3, T4, and TSH levels.
Findings: The mean age of the study population was 7.0±2.6 years, with 31 subjects (51.66%) being male. Mean serum levels were as follows: TSH 2.67±1.39 µIU/ml, T4 8.94±2.26 µg/dl, and T3 1.93±0.43 ng/ml. Analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in TSH, T4, or T3 levels among the mild, moderate, and severe asthma subgroups. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between asthma severity and the presence of at least one abnormal thyroid function test (p=0.30, r=-0.13).
Conclusion: Our results indicated that serum levels and mean concentrations of TSH, T4, and T3 did not show a statistically significant association with asthma severity among children.