CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN PATIENTS WITH SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

Abstract

Thyroid hormone regulate every organ system in our body. Metabolic parameters, including lipoprotein metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors like obesity, glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension are all influenced by serum TSH level in our body. Several reports have demonstrated a positive correlation between TSH levels and cardiovascular risk factors. C-reactive proteins is one of the markers of inflammation and also considered to be the predictor of cardiovascular disease and may be helpful in the assessment of future development of cardiovascular abnormalities in subclinical hypothyroidism. Methods: Recently diagnosed 71 subclinical hypothyroidism patients were enrolled in the study and compared with 63 healthy individuals. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration. Thyroid profile (TSH, free thyroxine, triiodothyroinine) and C-reactive protein were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were estimated in the study population by a spectrophotometric method, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) was measured by the Friedewald formula. Results and Conclusion: Altered lipid profile, as well as higher concentrations of C-reactive protein, was observed in subclinical hypothyroidism patients as compared to controls. Higher concentration of TC, TG, and LDL was observed in subclinical hypothyroidism patients while the concentration of high-density lipoprotein was lower in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. The elevated concentration of C-reactive protein was also observed in the patient group. Patients having TSH >10 μIU/ml have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to patients having TSH <10 μIU/ml and increasing concentration of C-reactive protein along with LDL-C may to cardiovascular abnormality.