Less Favorable Lipid Profile and Higher Prevalence of Thyroid Antibodies in Women of Reproductive Age with High-Normal TSH—Retrospective Study

Abstract

High-normal TSH can be associated with metabolic abnormalities and infertility. Aims of this study are to analyze retrospectively if routinely measured blood laboratory and anthropometric parameters differ between women of reproductive age with TSH < 2.5 mIU/L and with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L. Retrospective analysis was performed in 466 female inpatients, aged 13–51, hospitalized in an endocrine department. The group of 280 patients with normal thyroid tests (TSH 0.27-4.2 mIU/L; normal FT3 and FT4) was selected and it was divided into two subgroups, i.e., with TSH < 2.5 mIU/L and TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L (n = 66; 23.6%). After excluding patients on L-thyroxine treatment (n = 240), those with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L constituted 22.92% (n = 55). In the group of 280 patients with normal thyroid tests, an abnormally high concentration of triglycerides and an abnormally low HDLC/cholesterol ratio occurred more frequently in women with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L than those with TSH < 2.5 mIU/L (17% vs. 7%, p = 0.017; 14% vs. 5%, p = 0.015, respectively). Increased concentration of thyroid antibodies, i.e., TPOAb, occurred more frequently in patients with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L than those with TSH < 2.5 mIU/L (27% vs. 9%, p = 0.001). The same differences were found in the group of 240 patients after excluding those on L-thyroxine treatment. Blood lymphocyte concentration was the only independent linear parameter associated with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/L (OR = 1.551, p = 0.024) but only in the group of 280 patients with normal thyroid tests. TSH concentration correlated positively with blood lymphocyte (r = 0.129, p = 0.031) and TPOAb (r = 0.177, p = 0.005) concentrations but only in the group of 280 patients with normal thyroid tests. Less favorable lipid profiles and a higher prevalence of thyroid antibodies in women of reproductive age with high-normal TSH suggests that L-thyroxine treatment should be considered in such patients. The significance of a positive association between high-normal TSH and blood lymphocytes requires further evaluation.