The thyroid in ischemic heart disease: An autopsy study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Cardiology
• Pathology

Background:

• Thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism, is a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
• Thyroid function is often overlooked in patients diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions.
• Assessing thyroid health in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of thyroid pathology in patients with pathologically confirmed ischemic heart disease (IHD) at autopsy.
• To correlate the presence of IHD with underlying thyroid disease.
• To emphasize the importance of routine thyroid evaluation in IHD patients.

Main Methods:

• A 5-year retrospective autopsy-based study was conducted.
• Cases with pathologically evident IHD were analyzed for the presence or absence of thyroid disease.
• Thyroid glands were assessed macroscopically and microscopically in autopsied cases where available.

Main Results:

• Thyroid pathology was identified in 58 out of 181 (32.0%) autopsied IHD cases.
• Common thyroid pathologies included uninodular/multinodular goiter (56.9%), lymphocytic thyroiditis (37.9%), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (5.2%).
• The majority of IHD cases studied were males with a mean age of 59.9 years.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of patients with ischemic heart disease exhibit underlying thyroid pathology.
• Routine thyroid assessment, including physical examination, imaging, and laboratory tests, is recommended for all patients presenting with IHD.
• Early detection and management of thyroid dysfunction may improve cardiovascular outcomes in IHD patients.