Abstract
Objective: To assess the prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in Iraqi women with SLE.
Methodology: This case-control study was conducted at Department of Rheumatology, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq from September 2016 to July 2017. It included 58 women with SLE and 120 ages, gender and BMI matched controls. Demographic and clinical data were collected and serum free T3, T4 and TSH were assayed. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 24.
Results: Mean age of participants was 28.26±7.1 and 29.18±6.3 years in SLE and control groups, respectively. Thyroid dysfunction was more frequent in SLE patients (25.9% versus 5% in control, P<0.05). Primary and subclinical hypothyroidism were the more frequent disorder in SLE patients, six (10.3%) versus two (1.7%) and five (8.6%) versus none, respectively. Subclinical hyperthyroidism was seen in two (3.44%) and primary hyperthyroidism in two (3.44%) patients of SLE. Arthritis was the most common presentation. Prednisolone and Hydroxychloroquine were the more frequently used medications with insignificant association with abnormal thyroid function in SLE.
Conclusion: Thyroid disorders are frequent in Iraqi SLE female patients. Hypothyroidism both primary and subclinical hypothyroidism was the most frequent dysfunction.

Key words: Systemic lupus Erythematosus, thyroid dysfunction, female.