Prevalence of Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients with Thyroid Cancer in Tertiary Hospital: Associated factors and Outcome in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Thyroid cancer is a growing trend in the world today and is one of the prevalent malignancies in Saudi Arabia. Long-term cardiac complications of the disease and its treatment have become a significant issue but have not been given proper attention despite generally good oncologic prognosis. The purpose of the study is to determine the rates of cardiac malfunction in patients with thyroid cancer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre and to determine the potential risk factors and clinical outcome.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study screens electronic health records of adult patients (≥18 years) with a thyroid cancer diagnosis registered between January 2014 and January 2024. Echocardiography reports, treatment exposures, and cardiovascular risk factors are being reviewed. Descriptive statistics summarize the cohort. Group comparisons will use Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous data and Chi-square or Fisher exact test for categorical data. Multivariable logistic regression will identify independent predictors of cardiac dysfunction. Statistical significance will be set at P < 0.05.

Results: Preliminary review of the registry (N≈2,500) suggests that roughly one in ten patients demonstrate cardiac dysfunction, most commonly diastolic impairment. Early signal-level patterns indicate potential associations between chemotherapy exposure and poorly controlled hypertension with higher rates of cardiac dysfunction. Full statistical modeling and adjusted estimates are currently in progress.

Conclusions: Preliminary findings indicate cardiac dysfunction may be a relevant concern in this thyroid cancer population. These early trends highlight the need for structured cardio-oncology surveillance and risk mitigation strategies to improve long-term outcomes for thyroid cancer patients.