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Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Fusun Toruner1, Alev E Altinova, Ayhan Karakoc

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Advances in Therapy
|May 20, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is linked to abnormal lipid and lipoprotein levels, impacting cardiovascular disease risk. These changes occur independently of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Chemistry

Background:

  • Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a condition where thyroid hormone levels are mildly abnormal, but its link to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors remains unclear.
  • Investigating the relationship between SCH and CVD risk factors like lipid profiles, lipoproteins, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers is crucial for understanding potential health implications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH).
  • To examine the relationship between thyroid hormones and cardiovascular disease risk factors in SCH patients and controls.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 38 SCH patients and 44 controls with no confounding medical conditions or thyroid medication.
  • Assessment of cardiovascular risk factors including lipid profile, lipoproteins, insulin resistance, C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine (Hcy), and fibrinogen levels.

Main Results:

  • Patients with SCH exhibited higher serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides compared to controls.
  • While serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] was higher in SCH subjects, the difference was not statistically significant.
  • Free triiodothyronine (FT3) showed a negative correlation with apolipoprotein B (Apo B) and Lp(a) in SCH patients, and with Lp(a) in controls. No significant differences were found in other tested parameters or between TSH subgroups.

Conclusions:

  • Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is associated with specific lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities.
  • The observed association between SCH and lipid/lipoprotein abnormalities does not appear to be dependent on the subject's thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level.
Abstract

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