Abstract
Introduction. Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. The diagnosis and monitoring of this condition often rely on thyroid hormone levels, which can be limited in their accuracy. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a protein family that is involved in the innate immune response and is distinguished by its distinct pentameric structure.
Aim. To evaluate the utility of serum PTX3 levels in detecting and monitoring hypothyroidism.
Materials and Methods. A case-control design of the study included 90 participants between the ages of 20 and 50 years. These participants were divided into three groups: overt hypothyroidism (OH), subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), and a control group of healthy individuals. Anthropometric data, including age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and hormonal parameters were measured and recorded for each participant.
Results. Our work demonstrates that serum PTX3 levels were significantly elevated in individuals with hypothyroidism, compared to those with normal thyroid function (p<0.001). Furthermore, PTX3 levels correlated positively with TSH levels (r=0.62, p<0.001) and negatively with T4 levels (r= -0.53, p<0.001).
Conclusion. The findings suggest that serum PTX3 levels can be a useful biomarker for detecting and monitoring hypothyroidism, particularly in cases of SCH. The study’s exclusion criteria made sure that no other systemic illnesses or medication use could have tainted the findings. Therefore, the use of plasma PTX3 levels in hypothyroidism detection and monitoring may prove to be a valuable clinical tool in the future.