A Comparison of Reproductive Hormones and Biochemical Parameters in Hypothyroid and Euthyroid Postmenopausal Women

Menopause and hypothyroidism, both individually, affect the reproductive hormone profile as well as body metabolism which is reflected in the form of a deranged biochemical profile. It will be interesting to observe the effects on both these profiles, when menopause is associated with hypothyroidism.

This study was conducted on 30 postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed primary hypothyroidism and 30 euthyroid menopausal females as controls. Serum samples of all the subjects were analyzed for complete thyroid profile including total T3 (TT3), total T4 (TT4), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), estradiol, progesterone, fasting glucose, renal function tests, liver function tests, and lipid profile. Data of both the groups was compared using Student's t-test.

There was no statistically significant difference observed between the fasting glucose levels and renal and liver function tests in both the groups (p > 0.05). Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) were found to be significantly increased (p < 0.05) while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), estradiol, and progesterone were found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in menopausal hypothyroid women as compared to their euthyroid counterparts.

Thus, an association of both menopause and hypothyroidism may lead to accentuation of effect of each on biochemical and reproductive hormone profile.