RESUMO
Objective This study investigates the prevalence and risk of thyroid disturbances in pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus (DM) or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a tertiary hospital setting in Riyadh, SA. This research's findings may help identify potential risk factors associated with thyroid disturbances during pregnancy and facilitate early diagnosis for at-risk pregnant women. Subjects and methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at an endocrinology clinic between October 2018 and December 2021 to evaluate the electronic records of pregnant women with DM or GDM who had documented normal thyroid function before pregnancy. Results Three hundred ninety-six files that met the selection criteria were deeply investigated and analyzed. The analysis showed that 378 (95.5%) patients were of Saudi nationality, and the mean age in years ± SD for the selected patients was 34.23 ± 5.468. The prevalence of obesity was 63.7%, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 32.78 ± 6.78 kg/m2. The patients in this study were categorized into three groups based on their type of DM: 57 were diagnosed with type 1 DM (14.4%), 120 with type 2 DM (30.3%), and 219 with GDM (55.3%). The study identified 43 patients (10.85%) with subclinical hypothyroidism and 74 (18.69%) with hypothyroidism. Among the remaining patients, thyroid function was within the normal range for 264 (66.67%). The study also identified eight patients (2.02%) with subclinical hyperthyroidism and seven (1.77%) with hyperthyroidism. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was reported at 33.4%, with most of the dysfunction observed in the GDM group (20.7%). By comparison, the type 1 DM and type 2 DM groups presented a lower prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, accounting for only 4.1% and 8.6%, respectively. Conclusions Hypothyroidism, both clinical and subclinical, is more prevalent among patients with GDM than individuals with type 1 and type 2 DM. Research suggests a greater risk of developing hypothyroidism in patients with an increased BMI and among those older during pregnancy.
RESUMO
The prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among children in Saudi Arabia is increasing with unfavorable outcomes. Therefore, in addition to pharmacotherapy, other measures should be studied regarding psychological aspects mainly among adolescents. The family, which acts as the primary caregiver at this age, may play a major role in disease management. Thus, this study is aimed at assessing the perception of adolescents about the behaviors of their families initially and at investigating the correlation between these behaviors and glycemic control. Up to our knowledge, there was no study in Saudi Arabia that addressed this issue previously. This cross-sectional observational study assessed adolescents aged 10-19 years diagnosed with T1DM on insulin and receiving follow-up care at the King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via telephone interview and the verified "Modified Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire-Family version". Glycemic control was then assessed using the most recent hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level recorded in their electronic files. Fifty-six adolescents participated in this study with an equal sex distribution (each n = 28). Almost all participants were Saudis, and the majority were living in Riyadh (n = 41). The mean age was 16.1 ± 2.41 years with a mean of 6.1 ± 4.14 years history of diabetes. The mean HbA1c level was 9.6 ± 2.12%. Participants perceived all behaviors as supportive with "support in critical situations" being the highest (77.3%) and the only factor significantly related to HbA1c (p = 0.017). Age was significantly related to all factors (p > 0.05). Family plays a major role in the management of diabetes. Their supportive behaviors are perceived by their family members diagnosed with T1DM, but there has been no optimal association with disease control. However, the involvement of the family can aid in decreasing possible complications of the disease by intervening in critical situations.
