Adile Begüm BAHÇECİOĞLU, Bağdagül YÜKSEL GÜLER, Berna İmge AYDOĞAN, Alptekin GÜRSOY
Anatolian Current Medical Journal - 2026;8(2):231-237
Aims: Our study aimed to investigate the impact of metabolic parameters, specifically insulin level and body-mass index (BMI), on the thyroid gland, considering both morphological and functional aspects. For this purpose, we performed a cross-sectional analysis with euthyroid participants. Methods: One hundred euthyroid adults without thyroid autoimmunity or nodules were included. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin levels (FPI), and glucose/insulin values from a 2-hour OGTT were recorded. Anthropometric measures, including BMI and waist circumference (WC), were obtained, and thyroid volume (TV) was measured by ultrasound. The relationship between TV , hormone levels, and metabolic parameters was analyzed. Results: A significant positive relationship was observed between TV and multiple parameters, including BMI, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, FPG, and FPI. Regression modeling identified OGTT 2nd-hour insulin and WC as significant predictors of thyroid volume. Furthermore, FT3 concentrations correlated positively with BMI, WC, HOMA-IR, and FPI measurements. Conclusion: Increased TV appears to be associated with obesity and higher HOMA-IR, whereas FT3 levels show a positive correlation with both. These findings imply a significant interplay between insulin level, adiposity, thyroid gland morphology, and thyroid hormone metabolism.
