Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with various autoimmune disorders, including thyroid dysfunction. However, local data studying the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in newly diagnosed RA patients are limited.

BackgroundVitamin D (Vit-D) plays a central role in calcium homeostasis and maintains skeletal integrity. Housewives in Quetta, Pakistan are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency (VDD). They spend a greater part of their day in cleaning, washing, cooking, managing daily groceries, and other household chores. Thus, little time is left for self-care and outdoor activities. They wear hijab and have very little exposure to sunlight. In addition, their diet is deficient in Vit-D-rich food items, rendering them at high risk of VDD. Fear of getting tanned, melasma, and preference for a fair complexion further limit their sun exposure. This study evaluates the prevalence of VDD in housewives and determines its various risk factors to recommend screening guidelines for VDD. MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed between November 2020 and April 2021 and recruited housewives aged >18 from the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Quetta. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. VDD was defined as a serum 25(OH)-D level <20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L). Sociodemographic variables and information about the dietary habits, perception, attitudes towards sunlight, and daily duration of sunlight exposure were collected. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated for continuous variables and counts, and proportions were calculated for categorical variables like education, age. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors and associations of VDD. Data were analyzed by SAS/STAT software (version 9.4).

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Introduction: Hepatitis C has been linked to a multitude of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, cryoglobulinemia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjögren's syndrome. In this study, efforts were made to draw a parallel between hepatitis C and thyroid dysfunction.Methods: This case-control study was conducted between June 2020 and March 2021 in the gastroenterology ward of a tertiary care hospital. We enrolled 300 hepatitis C-positive patients in this study through consecutive convenient non-probability sampling. In addition, 300 patients without hepatitis C were signed up as a control group. Blood sampling for thyroid function tests was conducted via phlebotomy from the cubital vein and the samples were dispatched to the laboratory for further study.Results: The control group had more euthyroid patients as compared to patients with hepatitis C (74.6% vs. 89.6%; p-value: <0.01). Hepatitis C patients had more cases of primary hypothyroidism compared to the control group (10.6% vs. 4.6%; p-value: 0.005). Similarly, patients with hepatitis C had a higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism compared to the control group (6.0% vs. 1.3%; p-value: 0.002). Conclusion:Hepatitis C patients have a high frequency of thyroid dysfunction, particularly primary hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. Therefore, it is important to ensure regular screening for early prognosis and avoid treatment modalities that are known to cause thyroid abnormalities.

IntroductionPatients with diabetes having advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR) may predict future risk of coronary artery disease. To predict cardiovascular outcomes carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is utilized in diabetic patients. The aim of our study was the evaluation of the relationship between retinopathy and CIMT as two valuable non-invasive methods for early detection of micro-and macrovascular complication of diabetes. MethodsThis comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in the internal medicine ward of tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from November 2020 to January 2021. Three hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 300 control subjects were enrolled in the study after taking informed consent. Ophthalmological examination was done to screen patients for DR. CIMT was evaluated by a Doppler ultrasound for both carotid arteries. ResultsCarotid artery intimal thickness was more in patients with retinopathy compared to patients without retinopathy in both right (0.77 ± 0.16 vs. 0.66 ± 0.12; p-value: <0.0001) and left carotid artery (0.77 ± 0.15 vs. 0.65 ± 0.11; p-value: <0.0001). ConclusionIn our study, there was a correlation between DR and CIMT. Screening for DR, which may be a potential early marker for complications, may help detect patients at risk of various macro and microvascular complications.