Clinical and Hormonal Characteristics of Patients with Thyroid Dysfunction in Sirte City, Libya

Abstract

Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most common endocrine disorders worldwide and represents a major public health concern because of its association with metabolic, cardiovascular, and systemic complications. Despite the increasing burden of thyroid diseases, epidemiological and clinical data from Libya remain limited, highlighting the need for region-specific evidence to understand the characteristics of affected patients better. This study was conducted to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with thyroid dysfunction and to compare thyroid hormone profiles according to thyroid disorder type, gender, and medication status among patients attending healthcare facilities in Sirte City, Libya. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 93 patients diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction. Demographic and clinical information, including age, gender, family history, chronic diseases, medication status, and thyroid hormone levels (TSH, T3, and T4), was collected. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Associations between categorical variables were examined using the Chi-square test, whereas comparisons of thyroid hormone levels between groups were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. The mean age of the participants was 45.13 ± 17.13 years, and females constituted 71.0% of the study population. Hypothyroidism was considerably more prevalent than hyperthyroidism, accounting for 74.2% and 25.8% of cases, respectively. No statistically significant associations were identified between thyroid disorder type and age group, gender, family history, chronic disease status, or medication use (all p > 0.05). Thyroid hormone levels deviated significantly from a normal distribution (Shapiro–Wilk test, p < 0.001). Patients with hyperthyroidism had significantly higher serum T4 levels than those with hypothyroidism (median 11.20 vs. 7.32, p < 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed for TSH or T3. Male patients demonstrated significantly higher TSH levels than female patients (p = 0.004), while T3 and T4 levels did not differ significantly according to gender. Notably, medication status was not associated with significant differences in thyroid hormone levels. Hypothyroidism was the predominant thyroid disorder and occurred predominantly among female patients. Although demographic and clinical characteristics were not significantly associated with thyroid disorder type, significant differences were identified in serum T4 according to thyroid disorder and in TSH according to gender. These findings provide region-specific evidence on thyroid dysfunction in Libya, enhance the current understanding of its clinical characteristics, and may support clinical decision-making, improve patient management, and may guide future multicenter epidemiological studies in Libya