SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO MACROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Cardiology
• Metabolic Disorders

Background:

• Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
• The combined impact of T2DM and SCH on lipid profiles and macrovascular complication (MVC) risk is not fully understood.
• Dyslipidemia is a known risk factor for MVC in T2DM patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate lipid panel changes in patients with comorbid T2DM and SCH.
• To identify prognostic values of lipid profiles for predicting MVC development in this population.
• To compare lipid profiles between patients with T2DM alone and those with T2DM and SCH.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 370 T2DM patients and 30 patients with T2DM and SCH.
• Comparison of lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, remnant cholesterol) between groups.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine prognostic lipid thresholds for MVC.

Main Results:

• Patients with T2DM and SCH exhibited significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and triglycerides compared to T2DM alone.
• The combination of SCH and T2DM increased the risk of exceeding target triglyceride levels by 2.9 times and HDL-C levels by 4.1 times.
• ROC analysis identified specific thresholds for triglycerides (>1.65 mmol/L), non-HDL-C (>3.74 mmol/L), and remnant cholesterol (>0.74 mmol/L) as predictors of MVC risk.

Conclusions:

• Comorbid SCH significantly worsens lipid profiles in T2DM patients.
• Elevated triglycerides, non-HDL-C, and remnant cholesterol are associated with increased MVC risk in T2DM patients with SCH.
• These lipid parameters can aid in stratifying T2DM patients with SCH for intensified cardiovascular risk management.