Lipid Profile Perturbations Associated With Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Descriptive Study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Clinical Biochemistry
• Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

Background:

• Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder.
• Dyslipidemia, a lipid metabolism abnormality, significantly elevates cardiovascular risk.
• Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a precursor to overt hypothyroidism, characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with normal free thyroxine (FT4) levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and SCH in a diverse Moroccan population.
• To investigate the association between SCH and dyslipidemia.
• To assess the impact of SCH on lipid profiles.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of 447 patients.
• Data collected over 19 months from a university hospital's Clinical Biochemistry Department.
• Standardized lipid profile and TSH measurements using the Cobas Roche® 6000 system.

Main Results:

• The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia was 42.05%, with hypoHDLemia being most common (31.31%).
• SCH prevalence was 12.75%, predominantly in women.
• Dyslipidemia prevalence was higher in the SCH group (50.87%) compared to the euthyroid group (40.76%), with increased hypertriglyceridemia and hypoHDLemia in the SCH group. A significant association was found between SCH and dyslipidemia (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia.
• HypoHDLemia and hypertriglyceridemia are more common in individuals with SCH.
• Early detection and management of SCH may be crucial for cardiovascular risk reduction.