Serum TSH level may predict survival of hepatitis B related liver failure patients

Recently conducted research found that there is a significant correlation between serum Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and Hepatitis B virus-related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure patients' survival rates. The study was published in the journal 'BMC Gastroenterology.' 

Acute-on-chronic Liver disease (ACLF) is a complicated condition caused due to acute deterioration of known or unknown chronic liver diseases caused by the Hepatitis B virus. Studies in the past evaluated the association between ACLF and other systemic disorders but there were no studies on the endocrine system. So, researchers from China and U.K. conducted a study to analyze the effect of serum thyroid-stimulation hormone (TSH) levels on the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related ACLF. 

A retrospective cohort study was performed on 1,862 patients with HBV-related ACLF. The study data was collected from the "Survival Cohort Study (SCS)" which was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, risk factors associated with 30-day and 90-day survival, hazard ratios (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for TSH were estimated. Obtaining the Area Under the ROC curve (AUROC) analysis, the cut-off values were calculated. Survival was compared between the groups using the log-rank test. 

Results: 

• Elevated TSH level was found to be a significant predictor for 30-day and 90-day survival using Multivariate analysis. 
• The AUROC of TSH levels for 30-day and 90-day mortality were 0.655 and 0.620, respectively, with the same best cut-off values of 0.261 µIU/mL.
• The group with higher TSH levels had higher 30-day and 90-day survival rates in the Log-rank test.
• Similar findings were observed in subgroups analysis.
• After adjusting for age and other risk factors, the higher level of TSH remained associated with 30-day survival and 90-day survival.  

Thus, the researchers concluded that there was a significant correlation between serum TSH level and HBV-related ACLF patients' survival rates and it could be a predicting value for the 30-day and 90-day survival of patients with HBV-related ACLF. 

To read the full article, click here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-022-02406-7 

Chen JF, Weng WZ, Huang M, et al. The impact of serum thyroid-stimulation hormone levels on the outcome of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure: an observational study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2022;22(1):330. Published 2022 Jul 7.