Hematological Abnormalities and Associated Factors Among Patients with Hypothyroidism at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital

Objective: Abnormalities in blood cells are frequently associated with thyroid hormone disorders as a result of their involvement in the proliferation and production of blood cells. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and associated factors of hematological abnormalities in patients with hypothyroidism. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to June 30, 2023, at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. The present study included a total of 300 patients with hypothyroidism prospectively using the systematic random sampling technique. The hematological parameter data were collected using data extraction sheets, whereas the associated factor data were collected using both structured questionnaires and data extraction sheets. For complete blood cell counts, 4 mL of anticoagulated venous blood was collected and analyzed. The data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed with Stata version 14. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with hematological abnormalities. A P value < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: The median value of red blood cell, hemoglobin, mean cell volume, white blood cell, and platelet were 4.63 x1012/mu L, 14 g/ dL, 84.3fl, 5.3 x103/mu L, and 228, respectively. The overall incidences of anemia, leucopoenia, and thrombocytopenia in patients with hypothyroidism were 26.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 21-32), 15.7% (95% CI: 14.2-17.2), and 9% (95% CI: 7.5-10.5), respectively. Lymphopenia was detected in 9% (95% CI: 8.6-10.1) of the patients, and neutropenia was detected in 6% (95% CI: 4.4-7.6) of the patients. Only three factors, female sex (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =2.1, 95% CI=1.3-3.1), alcohol consumption (AOR= 3.8, CI=1.7-8.9), and febrile illness (AOR=2.7, 95% CI=1.3-5.4), were found to be significantly associated factors for anemia. Conclusion: The present study revealed heterogeneous hematological abnormalities in patients with hypothyroidism. Thus, early diagnosis and monitoring strategies are required to minimize complications in patients.