Thyroid hormone (fT4) reduces lipoprotein(a) plasma levels.
To study the influence of thyroid hormone on Lp(a) plasma concentration we measured Lp(a), total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides and fT4 levels and determined apo(a) phenotypes in 26 patients with hyperthyroidism in a follow-up study before and after thyreostatic treatment. The pretreatment values of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, and Lp(a) were significantly reduced as compared with those of healthy controls. The reduced mean Lp(a) concentrations could not be explained by a difference of apo(a) 'size allele' frequencies between patients and controls. During thyreostatic treatment mean concentrations of TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C increased significantly. The mean Lp(a) value was not changed after 4 weeks of treatment. The individual changes of Lp(a), however, correlated significantly with those of LDL-C levels (R = 0.40, P = 0.04). Eighty-one per cent of the patients showed an increase of Lp(a) or no change of the Lp(a) level and 19% reacted with a decrease upon thyreostatic treatment. The observed lipid and lipoprotein changes were not different in patients with Graves disease or multifocal toxic goiter. The results indicate that Lp(a) plasma levels are decreased in the hyperthyroid state irrespective of the pathogenic mechanism.
Hoppichler
F
F
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Sandholzer
C
C
Moncayo
R
R
Utermann
G
G
Kraft
H G
HG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D008713:Methimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D008713:Methimazole; D002784:Cholesterol; D011433:Propranolol; D013974:Thyroxine